


A Matter of Perspective

by GhostFalcon



Category: The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Genre: Angst and Feels, Canon Compliant, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Eventual Romance, F/M, Fate & Destiny, Follows the Memories, Mutual Pining, POV Alternating, Sexual Tension, Story Retelling, eventually there's a tad bit of smut, kind of, let them live
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-23
Updated: 2019-11-27
Packaged: 2020-05-18 11:49:52
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 20
Words: 66,250
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19333951
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GhostFalcon/pseuds/GhostFalcon
Summary: The Calamity is coming and alternating point of views give their thoughts and feelings on the events happening around them, particularly in regards to the fated heroes of Hyrule.Rated M for Chapter 14





	1. Prologue: Link's Father

**Author's Note:**

> So each chapter is going to be told from the perspective of a different (non-Link or Zelda) character and tie-in loosely to the memories and give unseen information regarding our two heroes.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mood-setting song: "The Greatest Showman Medley" by Anthem Lights
> 
> "Cause every night I lie in bed... The brightest colors fill my head. A million dreams are keeping me awake"

I swear tendrils of gold filled the air for the first time since the passing of my late wife, Medilia, came to be. Not just because the castle was fully adorned with gold between the glint of the raised instruments, the intricate thrones, and the crowns that rested on top of the royal family’s level heads. Noblemen and women from all across the land came at their king’s call, myself included- even if I am but a mere knight. I’m the Captain of the Royal Guard, but in the eyes of Princes and Lords, just a knight.

Nothing could delay my excitement, though, when King Rhoam raised his large fist in the air in proclamation that the hero to save them all had not only been found, but was within our own ranks. At last! The other piece of Hyrule’s protective puzzle was discovered and not all hope had been cast aside.

I never allowed my family to believe hope was gone, even in the darkest of times. For as long as there is always a sun in the sky, there is hope.

Even I grew wary of the inevitable apocalypse that was fabled to destroy us all. I am not a simple sword jockey, as some of the fair maidens in higher ranks would call us, for I’ve completed my fair share of Hylian history. There is always a hero to join the Princess and then- and _only_ then- can Hyrule be saved. Whatever prophetic nonsense wrapped us into this mess cannot be said, but there have been many heroes before.

There has been one of Time, who managed to win and lose, slicing up alternate realities. There was one of the seas, who sailed the expanse of the ocean blue after his Hyrule had been left to drown, stopping the pirate necessary. There was the Twilight era, which plagued a dark curse on Hyrule and could only be saved by the Hero- rumored to be nothing but a simple farm boy- and reaching across to a different universe of people.

And many many more, perhaps on a cycle. Goddess only knows how many times the symbiotic relationship between Hero and Princess met to perform their duties. All we really have of proof is the Princess, herself. She’s young- only 16- and often quiet in court whenever the upcoming Calamity is discussed, but in her bright green eyes it is evident that there is something holy about her.

I’m close with the King, though, and he suggests she can be more of a holy pain than anything else.

I would never speak out of turn against my King of the land I swore to cherish and protect, but I cannot see how this is true. She’s got such a weight on her shoulders that one could only imagine how difficult it must be. So, she doesn’t have the sealing power just yet. Up until now, there hasn’t even been a Hero yet.

My eyes drifted over to the Princess, who sat in a smaller throne beside her father, looking rather pale and alert. This was not the face of a girl who’s worries had been alleviated in any way. King Rhoam seemed nothing but joyous at his own announcement, face red as a strawberry and smile as bright as the moon.

Princess Zelda twisted her hands in her lap and settled on keeping her gaze just beyond the castle walls. It was a wonder what she could be dreaming about. Running? Nay, the Princess was not enthusiastic about her responsibilities, but surely not to the point of treason. Even in their complicated relationship, she loved her father and likewise. Since the death of the Queen, half a decade earlier, the castle had been colder.

Hyrule no longer had someone that could wield magic and power, just a vessel of possibilities. Thus, Zelda could no longer be a girl anymore. She had to fulfil a destiny that was assumed to be her mother’s. Not an easy task, not at all.

She would see, she had to see! She was the Goddess-incarnate and Hylia did not take her bloodline lightly. She did not have to fret about being alone any longer now that the Hero had evidently been discovered. Perhaps, he would inspire something within her- awaken her troubled soul and turn her to light. It was always speculated that Hylia’s daughters wielded a bow of pure light.

She would hopefully keep her eyes off of the horizon and onto the current moment.

I was mistaken though, because what caught Zelda’s stare behind me was not the summer day beyond the Castle, but who entered the throne room. I’d been so lost in my reverie of hope and contemplation that I hadn’t even registered the King’s introduction. 

As Captain, I do not turn and give in to the heightened anticipation as the rest of the guests do. My fellow officers behave the same, without question. Out of respect, we are not to take our eyes off of the Royal Family- not even to catch an extra glimpse at the man that would be our savior.

He walked by in due time anyway and I swear, had I not been trained in the arts of propriety and manners, I’d have let my jaw hit the floor. For, this was no man that casually strolled down the aisle and eventually knelt before the King, but a boy. Not just any boy, but _my_ boy.

Link was a recent recruit for the Royal Guard. At 17, he was eligible, and I knew him to be the greatest of his age and not just because he was my son. If anything, I’d been harder on him because of it. His mother never wanted him to be a fighter. She cringed every time Link slayed a different monster. His first kill was when he was three and with a simple tree branch. Since then, I’d trained him personally, long and hard. His mother wanted him to be a baker, but a baker cannot protect his family.

Neither can a Knight, sometimes.

Rhoam had taken a particular interest in Link since he was drafted into the Guard, impressed at his undefeated record in sparring as well as his increasing victories against the increase in monster activity.

Whispers broke out amongst the nobles and it was ever obvious when the King took a long pause to drink from his chalice. The Princess never missed a beat though and her piercing eyes roamed the crowd, not quite chastising them, but not encouraging them either. She was curious, apparently, what everyone thought of my Link.

It was tough to determine what she thought of him either. She appeared sympathetic at first. She knew what it was like to have an entire kingdom doubt her.

Nobody, upon first glance, ever could believe that my son was capable of destroying the greatest evil known to civilization. They had not seen what I’d seen. His spirit, now contained and whipped into shape, was unlike any other and his skill was unmatched. In time, he’d make a far better knight than me- than anyone in history.

Even I was left breathless, for in the holy lighting of the castle, with spotlights of sunbeams, Link looked like a child. It was a terrifying thought to send children to not only fight your wars, but to face pure malice. He was not born of expectation to fill such a role, even if he was to always be a warrior.

“Unsheathe your sword, Sir Link.” King Rhoam ordered.

Link did not hesitate and reached behind him to pull out none other than the Master Sword.

Music did not play so all that could be heard was the array of gasps across the crowd. Again, I did not partake. I’ve been trained to otherwise mask my feelings when it came to official Royal business. I must say though, my heart swelled to a degree I did not know possible. I almost willed my son to search for my eyes in the crowd, so I could give him a tasteful nod. He would know what it meant.

But it did me more pride that he did not. Instead, his eyes remained trained in the air and I knew then that the gravity of his position was falling upon him. His jaw was tight and his stare lost their wild tendency. He was stiff and made no hint at a smile or any indication of emotion at all.

Good.

Never let those who you protect know what you fear. That is a sure way to get yourself and everyone else killed. Even if it kills you, keep your emotions in your chest, where they belong. As far as the court and I was concerned, he was a man now. Not just any man either, but a Legend to be.

“Our Hero, ladies and gentlemen.” He beamed and everyone broke out into applause. “Valiant and brave. Youthful, but experienced. I see no one else more fit to protect our great kingdom and to perform the duties of the Princess’ appointed knight and protector.”

The crowd kept clapping, but it was apparent that this was not something Rhoam had discussed with his daughter, because despite her extensive training in proper etiquette, her mouth went slack in shock.

“Lord knows she needs it.” An indistinct murmur came from somewhere behind me.

She could not have heard it, but it was as though she could sense this thought radiating through the room. I would have turned around and put them in their place if I could, because regardless of anyone’s opinion of the Princess, she was still Hylia’s vessel.

In the midst of the cheers, I spotted her mouth something akin to _“What?”_

Rhoam did his best not to lose composure, but he still shot her a look- so brief and seemingly inconsequential that likely no one else in the room could notice it. However, I’ve been around the King for decades now.

 _“Not now, Zelda.”_ It said. Quite loudly, might I add.  

The Princess’ stare, however, was not discrete, particularly when it landed on Link. It was a hard stare that if Link had been looking at her, would feel as though it was piercing through his very chest. I suppose the expression “If looks could kill…” would be appropriate here.

I could not guess why, though. Hyrule’s prayers were being answered by her own Goddess. She had the best protection in the entire kingdom to allow her to activate her powers. Hope was returned in the form of Link; my son! What else could she want? Then again, as I took in the applause around me, my pride reaching its peak, it became abundantly clear that none of the hope was in her. That, I would imagine, is a hefty situation to be in. But still, the Princess is vital to the cause and should soon learn of her importance. I just hope, before it is too late.

I truly could not bear the thought of having lost a wife and a son. Life is too short to suffer that way.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "All the shine from a thousand spotlights, all the stars we steal from the night sky will never be enough..."


	2. Zelda's Chamber Maid

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Zelda calls all of the champions in for a fitting of their tunics that she was to hand stitch for their efforts. Her primary maid, Alice, takes note of the Princess’s temperament towards her champions

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Associated with Memory #1: Subdued Ceremony
> 
> Mood-setting song: "Stop and Stare" by OneRepublic
> 
> "Steady hands just take the wheel. Every glance is killing me...Time to make one last appeal for the life I live."

I used to be a maid for the Queen. If you want to discuss a vision of a woman, there in lay the example. There wasn’t a single guard not bewitched by her grace and not a woman unaffected by her empowerment. Even prior to discovering her own inner Goddess-gifts, there was always something unmistakably mystical about her. The way her violet eyes took in the entire room and seemed to suck it dry from everything that was not her presence. She was far from manipulating; just an amalgamation of true divinity.

When she passed that dreadful spring, I felt as though I lost a piece of myself in the process. I truly believe the entire castle- perhaps the entire kingdom- felt such a way. No longer did Hyrule flicker with light and promise. Instead, that blasphemous Calamity hung over our heads like a rain cloud. We lost our Goddess in a way, because for everything the Queen was… Zelda is not.

She mostly keeps after herself and doesn’t ask for much. One might assume we’d appreciate a break, but this is our livelihood! Do you understand how hard it is to have the opportunity to work in Hyrule castle? You do not! You are born into such ranks. We may be low on that totem pole, but at least we are on the totem pole. Nobody outside these walls can say the same.

She even draws her own baths. Ugh! The nerve. We are rendered basically useless. Most of the time, we are fetching books or getting supplies and it is evident that if we do chores _for_ her, the girl finds us to be a nuisance. Excuse me, Princess, but anyone in your shoes would feel damn lucky to have us. They would use us to our greatest strengths and let us brush your hair.

She does, in spite of my chagrin, have lovely hair. Perhaps even lovelier than her mother’s, which sounds sacrilegious to even think!

Think is all I will do, of course, because even these thoughts near close to treason.

The Princess is too oblivious and far too mild to want to do anything about that, of course. Even if we are simply reminders of her mother, which I feel might be the heart of her disdain, she is far too focused on her books and prayers. More so the former than the ladder, which infuriates the king.

For this, I cannot blame Zelda. She does not have power, therefore she has no purpose. I’ve seen the callouses on her knees from her dedications. To her credit, she is trying. Failing, but trying. Honestly, if she were not royal, I might like her considerably more. She is a very nice girl and tries to ask us about our lives and feelings.

But we are not friends. We are her loyal servants and want to do our jobs and make her and her mother proud. We cannot do that if she’s more interested in what our favorite books are or how our children are doing.

Her research expeditions are beyond frivolous and ridiculous to me. She acts like she’s really a scholar too. I know for certain that she doesn’t sleep as she should, because otherwise I’m unsure when she has time to tear through ancient tomes and books. Her study is filled to the brim with the strangest of contraptions and tools. It’s so uncivilized.

She wants to combat this Calamity with her mind if she cannot do so with her power. I hate this the most about her. Destiny speaks louder than those rubbish theories and hypotheses she goes on and on about. If I have to see her dissect another frog, I swear I’ll vomit.

It also wouldn’t kill her to smile every once in a while, would it? The whole kingdom feels this burden, fears for their loved ones, not just her. Every single one of them must carry on with daily life. The least she could do is try to offer a little moral support.

Urbosa of the Gerudo seems to have a lot of faith in her, which I suppose counts for something considering how valued Urbosa was by the Queen.

I’m not typically all that negative about the girl either. The other maids are constantly whispering behind her back and aren’t even discrete about it. IThat’s not going to solve any Calamity troubles, now is it? I shush them when I overhear that kind of talk. The girl is quite hard on herself for not achieving this testament of strength or unlocking the mystery behind it. She may not be the hope we want, but she is what we’ve been given by Hylia, herself.

“Hello, Alice, would you mind assisting me with finishing touches on the Champions’ tunics?”

I was completely shocked out of my reverie. I’d taken to looking busy by cleaning when the Princess wasn’t present. As much as I loathed her scientific mind, it did provide me with an opening to be useful. I was just in the midst of stripping her sheets when she’d bamboozled me with an actual request of my services.

I cannot say this should be too surprising. If there was one duty Zelda would love to pass off on the help it was constructing the Champions’ garbs. Ever since the reveal of our Hero, she has been even more sour about the prospect. In fact, this ceremony declaring the lad’s knighthood should have occurred weeks ago. Somehow, she’s managed a different excuse to push it further and further back.

Anything to avoid having that boy near her.

Still, there was no more time to waste digging for the past or even begging the Goddess. Perhaps, she needs the strapping Hero at her side. She could certainly use some blessed presence. Besides, she has been far too careless with how far she’s been venturing and where she’s been going.

“Yes, my lady.” I answer with a curtsy that I know makes her uncomfortable.

She turned on her heels before her eyes fell on my hands and how they were in the process of making her bed. “I didn’t… Did I request for my sheets to be changed?”

She has worked herself so tired she cannot even remember our conversations, which is saying something, given how few there have been.

“Yes ma’am.” I lied, “But I can always have one of the others take care of it.”

She nodded simply and I am unsure whether or not she believed me. Just like that, her mind once again seemed miles away. I followed her through the corridor and into her study, which I was surprised to see each Champion standing in a straight line. On the table, five sky-blue tunics sat neatly folded. Everything appeared rather put together for only being assembled the other evening.

Rhoam had asked Zelda if she’d made the Champions’ tunics. She had, almost immediately after she’d recruited each of them… Except one. Anyone could guess who she procrastinated on. Still, it was done and in fairness, it did not appear as a rush-job. She did her duty and put as much effort into it as the others.

Not many could say they got the chance to be in the same room with all five of Hyrule’s chosen warriors.  I must say, each of the Champions were impressive to behold. Urbosa, with her domineering might and wisdom; Daruk, with his unbreakable stature and protective nature; Revali with his seamless confidence and natural talent; and of course, the lovely Princess Mipha, who had more grace and kindness than anyone I’d ever seen, but an obvious strength that bloomed from within.

“Do you think it’ll go with my eyes?” Revali smirked as Zelda handed his tunic so she could ensure that it properly fit. He stretched himself to a full wingspan and while I’ve never been much attracted to Rito, he was certainly quite the specimen. It was no wonder he carried such a tremendous ego.

“Doubtful, little Bird-man.” Daruk’s eyes twinkled. “Tiny Princess made something very pretty.”

“It is the same color as the Hero’s eyes, though.” Urbosa cocked a grin of her own.

Zelda dropped the tape measurer that she was stretching across Revali’s front right on his large foot. He scowled, but did his best not to appear agitated with her. Even while acting a fool, she was still his superior.

“Sorry!” She winced, but she stumbled and dropped it again. This time, I retrieved it and continued where she left off. It was growing too painful to watch.

Zelda nodded in thanks at me before frowning at Urbosa and still avoiding looking at the Hero, who might I add, was very much staring at her.

“I did not have a say in the color.”

This, was false. Green was the usual representative color of Hyrule. No one could explain what possessed Zelda to make it blue.

“It is a very beautiful color.” Mipha said sweetly and cast her gaze over to him. His own stare briefly flickered to her in acknowledgement.

“I thought you may say that.” Urbosa said.

Ignoring her, Mipha beamed at Zelda. “This is lovely stitch work, Princess. We are honored that you would dedicate such time.”

Time she would normally be spending tinkering with ancient toys. Mipha was far too kind.

Zelda smiled softly and reached out to squeeze Mipha’s hand. “Your efforts are what is truly to be valued here. All of you. Your bravery and dedication means more to me than I can properly articulate. The least I could do is give you the chance to display your honor.”

She had her moments.

Each of the Champions were pleased with how their tunics fit and even more so with how it looked with all of them in it. The last, of course, was the Hero of Hyrule.

And the Hero, my oh my, the Hero certainly was that. Many might underestimate him for his size, but his eyes had a wildness that I’d never seen in any man before. They seemed incredibly contained with years of poised training. He was unassuming, but stoic. His jaw was sharp and his muscles were evident, yet hidden.

Not for much longer, thankfully, for Zelda requested he remove his Royal Guard armor and tunic. Her voice lacked any of the warmth it had previously displayed for Mipha and the others. Her eyes were downcast and forceful focused on the task at hand. She was so irritated with him that her ears and her face was the shade of a strawberry.  

Oh, I was more than enthralled that today of all days, Zelda decided she needed my help, because this was far too amusing to simply hear about. Those lovestruck cooks were going to be absolutely livid. I got to see the apple of their eye bare-chested and close. The fact that Zelda gets to touch him was going to make them dislike her even more.

She accidentally caught his stare and I prayed, for a moment, the tension would leave the room like a cold wind. Instead, it remained when he paused for a nanosecond and tugged the tunic over his head without breaking eye contact.

Zelda clenched her fist into her skirt before releasing it and getting to work without a word.

She laid a gentle hand, feather light, against his chest to hold the tape measurer still. I believe we all waited for her to drop it again, but she was absolutely determined to be as quick as possible.

I do not see how she could hate him so. I may be a good decade older than the boy, but I am not blind and he looks exactly as a fabled Goddess-sent Hero would appear.

When her hand drifted to the collar of the tunic, he swallowed heavily. He was nervous. It was the first true indication of feeling from him this entire time. He seemed so placid and unaffected, but Zelda made him nervous. She was supposed to be divine, after all. I can’t say I blame him. It did not help that she obviously did not care for him.

After determining that the tunic fit and believe me, it did, she stepped away from him, avoiding seemingly everyone but Revali’s eyes. He was fairly public about his doubts in the Hero as well, after all.

“Well, don’t keep us waiting. How do we look?” Urbosa asked.

“Hopefully not like a circus act.” Revali said, “Then again, we already appeared as such.”

“You all look like heroes.” Zelda answered earnestly, “Because that’s what you are.”

“All of us, really?”

She narrowed her eyes at Revali. “Pardon?”

“With all due respect, your majesty, four of us are heroes. One of us plucked a weapon from the ground and believes that gives him the right to stand alongside those that made true sacrifice to be here.”

Zelda opened her mouth to respond, but Daruk was already speaking. “I hope you’re not disrespecting my little buddy.”

Revali merely scoffed. “Has anyone actually seen him fight?”

“Link is an esteemed warrior- unlike any other. He has out-swam even some Zora!” Mipha said.

“Does having a good backstroke give him the right to be the coveted Hero of Hyrule? Seriously! This is our land, our home, our _freedom_ we are discussing here. I know I am not the only one who thinks this.”

“He has the Master Sword.” Zelda answered simply, but she did not appear pleased to being forced to defend someone she did not approve of. “My father believes in him and that should be enough.”

It should be, shouldn’t it, Zelda?

“Who do you suspect should be the Hero, anyway? You?” Daruk pointed a stoney finger.

Revali did not seem to be against that idea. Oh, that cocky bird. He was certainly a hero of his people and an excellent warrior, but he lacked modesty and gracefulness. Farore would never be represented with such pig-headedness.

“Can we cease this bickering as if the boy is not in the room presently?” Urbosa snapped.

It was easy to forget the Hero was there at all, honestly. He did not react or move in the slightest. He stared at Revali, but not with any indication of harbored negativity. He seemed completely nonplussed. It was clear that if we were to wait for the proclaimed Hero to take a stand, we would be here all day.

“Link can prove his worth, then!” Daruk declared.

“That could be interesting.” Urbosa said.

“He does not need to prove anything!” Mipha defended. “Particularly not when there are bigger problems just over the horizon.”

“Should that not be more of a reason to test him? When the Princess is visiting Rito Village to inspect Vah Medoh, we shall see if he is worthy.”

“He is also not my knight yet.” Zelda said quietly. “Not officially.”

“We can fix that.” Daruk shrugged, “We’re all here and you know the speech, don’t you Tiny Princess?”

Silence.

Ah, yes, Zelda did not anticipate this would happen today. She practically recited the thing in her sleep, but that did not change how little she wanted the Hero to accompany her to Rito Village.

“All we need are all of us. We’ll do it right outside.”

Revali narrowed his eyes, “How about it, Link?”

Link simply nodded and then looked to Zelda for approval, who assented and began to accept that this was the way it was going to be from now on. No more needless freedom and no more lack of accountability.

“Very well.” She said.  

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "Stop and stare. You start to wonder why you're here not there... And you'd give anything to get what's fair, but fair ain't what you really need..."


	3. Revali

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Revali reveals why he truly does not like the Hero of Hyrule.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Associated with Memory #2: Revali’s Flap
> 
> Mood-setting song: "Superheroes" by The Script
> 
> "When you've been fighting for it all your life, you've been struggling to make things right. That's how a superhero learns to fly. Every day, every hour, turn the pain into power."

When I was born, I had this defective condition known colloquially as a “flapped wing”. Because of it, my right wing could not extend all of the way out. This, for the Rito, is practically the equivalent of being in a vegetative status. What was the point of living if you could not soar above the trees and take in the cool air? How would one live in the village? Surely, they would not take the stairs. Have you seen how winding that can be? Most of the children grew up playing across the canyon, flying over there themselves, but not me. I was born with chains that kept my feet to the ground.

Mother told me there were more important things, but none that I could see. My father was the finest flyer in our military defense and excelled especially at marksmanship. I would watch him and the other men take off every morning and even if they were not promised to a safe return, nothing seemed to exhilarate them more than the journey.

The prospect of a journey is the most coveted aspect of the Rito tribe. We don’t have a huge expanse of land like the Hylians nor do we live for centuries at a time as the Zora. We don’t have immunity to real pain like the Gorons or immeasurable power as the Gerudo.

That was all I wanted as a boy when I dreamed of flying. I dreamed of enjoying the journey more than the destination or the departure zone. I dreamed of fighting and dancing and singing amongst the clouds. I dreamed of fitting in.

I didn’t dare dream of being more than that.

So, I set out every night starting at age 8. I fell many a time. Too many times. I’d sprained my wing and lied about it, said I fell down the stairs. Everyone considered me clumsy. I was the defective bird who could not fly, after all. We were not meant to spend long periods of time traversing on our feet.

I’ll never forget managing to hover off of the ground. It was longer than a briefly suspended leap, but shorter than consistency. It was nothing to anyone but me. It didn’t matter what any of them thought.

I didn’t tell anyone I was training. Failure was easier when no one was watching, but it lowered the stakes. As I started to take air, I realized I needed to account for wind patterns. I started flying with the hatchlings, who were too young to judge my lack of expertise despite my age. Eventually, word got out that I had it in my head about flying with the rest of them.

I loved it. I loved every second of the air hitting my face and the electrified feeling in my lungs when I glided with the wind. It felt like everything was on my side.

I was mocked, of course. Bullies wanted to pluck me from the sky, as if there wasn’t enough room for everybody. Just because they could fly better than me did not make them closer to heaven, just luckier.

Luck had nothing to do with my fate, though. I continued to practice and eat healthy every day, focusing on nothing else. The look of pride in my Father’s eyes was unlike anything I’d ever seen before. All of my life, I’d been his broken son that he had dragging him down to the ground. When we flew together, side-by-side, I’d never seem him more joyous.

We went as far as Central Hyrule, which was the first time I’d ever seen the castle in my life. We did tricks; some of mine even more intricate than his. He laughed and asked me when I’d gotten so fast. I shrugged as if I didn’t dedicate my entire life to making him proud. That single flight… Made it all worth it.

Of course, no one who stays in the same place is ever truly happy. I am a Rito and we go the distance, no matter how far or hard that path may be. I was no longer happy just being a miracle boy. I hated that, actually. None of it was a miracle! I worked day in and day out, being mocked… Being called a _cripple_ amongst many other unpleasantries.

To have everyone be simply amazed was not enough… Acting like the Gods bestowed me with such talent or even my parents. My Father, loved him as I did, claimed my success as his own. My Mother did not, but she was always humbler.

I was through playing it cool. If you play it too cool, nobody attributes any of your achievements to you. The bullies smile and act like their taunts were the very reason you made it and like they owe you some sort of debt in friendship or gratitude. Yes, thank you for pushing me around and playing with the wooden sling my mother made me. It was revolutionary.

Humility gets you nowhere. A true Hero recognizes himself; not when he was unworthy, no, he isn’t delusional. He is honest with himself. He is the best and there is no one less. He makes sure of it.

So, I did.

Every single day.

Then, Princess Zelda was on the Rito’s doorstep, bashful and eager to speak to _me_ and I make time for her. Royalty deserves courtesies that others do not. If I were to only rise higher, I needed to recognize those that were above me. The very presence of the Princess was enough to let me know that I was no longer the handicapped bird that fell from the nest. No, I was recognized. My name had scaled across Hyrule. And being a Champion? Seizing Vah Medoh as my own? Easy. Nothing compared to the adversity I’d climbed.

I was a Champion. Of course, I knew that already.

The fastest, most capable, skilled Rito in all the land. Nobody soared above the clouds as I did. No one was able to wield a bow like me. Not my father, the elders or _anyone_.

That is why I sneered at the boy and I will continue to doubt him. He does not have the trappings of a Hero. He does not wear any notation of his own achievements. I doubt he would even don the Champion’s tunic if it were not a requirement from the Princess, herself. He does not even oppose challenge with verbal banter as a true gentleman would. He doesn’t try to assert himself.

And yet, he is her appointed knight.

He looked like a weak bird that would fall from the nest. He reminded me of myself before the transformation I’d taken myself on. Sure, there was fire in his eyes, but he was not ready. Surely, he was not ready. I hate to embarrass anyone, really, but I needed to sweep him to show the Princess that she did not have assertive protection on her hands. This had to be some sort of mistake- sword or not.

He cannot even fly. Maybe flight challenges were unfair then, but I reasoned that a true Hero could figure it out.

It was quite displeasing to me that none of the other Champions were present for the match. I was no longer a fan of operating without an audience. I did not require one to succeed, but motivation came from failure. I did not need to fear it, for I felt it far too often growing up. I understood it better than most. I wanted the others to see Link’s failure.

Not even the Princess was really watching. She was much more bothered by the mechanics of Vah Medoh. She and the Elder were discussing physics and flipping through a notebook. She took hasty notes and took pictures on a Sheikah slate.

Everyone would hear of the young Link’s defeat soon enough. I told a story better than most, particularly when they featured me shining in golden light.

Until, he won the first round. Archery on targets. While flying.  I had been feeling rather sore in my right shoulder blade. I practice every day, mind you. Vah Medoh takes a lot out of me. I still do not know how he managed to hit them all on the way down his fall. He landed in a backflip. Children made cue cards with numbers on them and held up 10’s.

They never did that for me!

And then round two… A simple race. Again, I had a clear advantage, but I was not prophesized to save the entire kingdom alongside the Princess, was I?

He whipped a paraglider from nowhere and sailed the wind currents like he’d been born doing it. It was not even close. Everything in my chest exploded like fiery rage.

How dare he? How dare he never work a single day in his puny life at flying and waltz in here like it was nothing? Prophecy or not, that is not the makings of a true Hero. Real heroics are measured in the journey, dammit. And he, had no journey from what anyone could say. He, a simple knight, wandered into the forest and pulled the sword out for the hell of it, and that was all there was to it. I don’t want anything dithering about being in the Royal Guard. They are trained, but it is more of a fraternity than actual grueling work. I respect their efforts and their ability to risk their lives, but they do not work as I did. They are naturals.

And I hate them for it.

I didn’t even congratulate the Hero on his victory. Everyone else had that covered, never doubting him because of the name he carried. He never had to make one for himself. It was handed to him on a silver platter with a Master Sword.

I was sulking and it was embarrassing, but I did not want to be alone in my anger. I knew of one other person that would not love the thought of Link’s easy success and it was someone who struggled to find their own victory.

At least the Princess, while technically a failure, had to work at something. The glory of royalty meant nothing if you could not measure up. She is quite excellent at the researcher schtick. I wonder what my other persona would be if I were not so headstrong?

“It’s over already?” She asked around a pencil that was in her mouth. It was very unbecoming, but I was never all that interested in Hylians anyway. Or women, for that matter. Besides, this was no official meeting. She was here to check on Medoh while I had my pissing contest with the Hero of Hyrule.

That’s all it seemed to be in hindsight.

I felt like a fool.

“Yes.” I rolled my eyes, “I’m sure you’ll be happy to know that your Hero came out on top with very little struggle, might I add. He did not even pretend to find the task difficult.”

“What was it?”

“Flying.”

She looked up from her book. “Excuse me?”

“He did not sprout wings, Princess.” I assured her. “But he did wield that paraglider better than I have ever used my Goddess-given wings.”

She bit her lip and continued her work. “Yes, well, he can’t seem to stop collecting skillsets, now can he?”

“And he acts like he doesn’t know just how remarkable he is at everything he touches, like he earned it. You and I, we are not so different, Princess. I, of course, reached my potential, but not without vigorous pain and work.”

Princess Zelda straightened. “I have been dedicating all of myself into unlocking this power. I am not sure what else I can do.”

“Is it true you will be praying at the Springs?”

“Yes, but…” She cast a gloomy look at the back of her knight. “Not alone.”

“At least you will be well-guarded. I doubt he even feels pain.” At this point, I was just rubbing in my own wounds.

“He never shows any emotion.” She shook her head. “So it is impossible to know what he does and doesn’t feel. It’s like having a shadow on your back… Someone waiting for you to fail.”

“And accepting exuberant amounts of glory when you do.” I shook my head. “I don’t trust him.”

Princess Zelda didn’t agree to that, necessarily, but twisted her hands together for a moment in her lap.

One of the most revered young ladies in Rito Village threw her arms around Link and nuzzled his cheek. Some others whistled.

Whatever the Princess was researching, she had no notice for it anymore. Her eyes remained trained on her knight but lacking all optimism and hope. Instead, they were narrowed in what I could see was the beginnings of resentment. Perhaps it was wrong of me to harvest it, but it was always a comfort to find someone else that did not like a likable person.

“He looks like a fool in those snow pants.” She muttered and got up to take her leave.

On one hand, not telling Link was treason against the King. He was to follow her everywhere and ensure that the Princess was safe. However, I did get a cruel amount of joy from the panic that crossed his face when he turned around and did not see her. He looked to me with wild eyes and I shrugged smugly, watching him race down the bannister to try and catch up to her.

“Alright, Hero, maybe not everything is easy for you. You’re an utter imbecile with women.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "Now she's stronger than you know. A heart of steel starts to grow."


	4. Hestu

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hestu of the Koroks attempts to ask Link and Zelda for directions, but realizes he is intruding on a very serious conversation.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Associated with Memory #3: Resolve and Grief
> 
> Mood-setting song: "Echo" by Jason Walker
> 
> "Cause my echo, echo is the only voice coming back."

Ooooooh the Great Deku tree is going to have my roots when he finds out I lost my other maraca yet again. So far, my role as collector has been going very poorly, I should think. I mean, what _is_ a Korok seed collector without his/her trusty maracas? Nothing! Nothing at all. One might assume it is all for flair, but I cannot perform any magic without the other maraca. Wizzrobes might use elemental rods to activate their magic, but the Korok seed collectors use maracas.

Just having one maraca? Useless. That’s like just having one Korok seed! The more maracas, the better.

I only have two hands, of course, so two would do just fine, but again, I misplaced mine at an uncertain time. I travel all across these great lands, waiting for the one who will need us most, so it is unknown where I left my second maraca.

I am a mess! A wilting mess. And I’ve gotten a little chubby in the trunk as of recently. Surely, those blasted newcomers are going to have a laugh at that. Oh, sure, always laugh at the chunky tree.

I can never return home until I find my second maraca. I refuse to be a disgrace to my family and my progeny. There is a Hero of Hyrule these days, which means the Calamity is coming just as the Great Deku promised. This means, we Koroks need to be on high alert and ready to help. Our people have seen many iterations of Ganon. Sometimes a demon, sometimes, a pig, sometimes a man. It all just varies on the time. No matter what, though, there is always a Hero and there is always a Princess to demolish evil.

Never without the help of we, Korok’s, of course, but we are rarely accredited.

That’s okay. For as long as this land thrives, we do not need the glory.

(I would not mind it though)

It is not deserved, of course, until I FIND MY DAMN MARACA I AM CONVINCED THAT MARCEL THE LITTLE SHIT STOLE IT FROM MY SATCHEL.

CURSE YOU MARCEL!

… I was just in the midst of a mental breakdown, when I overheard voices coming through the clearing of the forest. I cannot say with great clarity why I hid like a coward, but I did my best to blend in with the surrounding foliage. I didn’t need anyone prodding me for storage advancement now of all times. Not when I was short a very critical piece of the puzzle.

I peaked from around a tree and sucked in my gut to appear as camouflaged as possible. I was certain I was unnoticed, though, because the Hylian girl that was in the lead practically had her nose pressed up to a tablet while the Hylian boy remained a few feet back, eyes set on her.

Kids and their technology.

I say this, of course, as someone who is very jealous of my little friend, Joffrey, who got to play one of those new games in Castletown.

He called it, “Pinball” and it sounded very exciting.

“From here, we’ll make our way to Goron City.” The girl had an elite sociolect, which meant she probably lived in or near the castle. “Then, we’ll need some adjustments on that Divine Beast so Daruk can manage it as easily as possible. He’s figured out how to get it to move, however it’s apparent that we still have much more to learn.”

I… Did not know what any of that meant. From my experience, most things that ended in ‘beast’ were not positive. Beasts usually ravaged and destroyed, but something in my leaves felt as though these two were not in the business of destroying anything.

The girl continued on as if she were talking to the birds or the trees more than she was her male companion. In her defense, he did not choose to answer. Instead, he continued his gaze.

Wow, creepy.

Then again, wasn’t I staring at them when I should have been looking for my long-lost maraca?

“But to think… That Divine Beast was actually built by people.” The girl had such a happy inflection to her voice when she spoke of such things. It seemed as though her mind was racing at a mile a minute! I felt glad for her.

Still nothing from the boy. I quickly hopped from tree to tree to follow them. I was beyond intrigued in their conversation now and it wasn’t like I was finding my maraca by just standing there.

“That means we should be able to understand how it works and how to use it to our advantage. These Divine Beasts… So much we don’t know…”

I’m with you there, sister!

“But if we want to turn back Calamity Ganon, they’re our best hope!”

Wait, huh? EXCUUUUUUUSE ME?

If they’re talking of dismantling Calamity Ganon, then that must mean… These weren’t just any pair of Hylians… They were the Princess and Hero of Hyrule! Oh, and to think I feared them. I wanted to burst out from my ever-changing hiding spot and bring them into my arms to assure them that I would be with them for their journey.

But, you know… I do not wish to disappoint them. I mean, these are walking Gods before me. The Princess is literally the progeny of Hylia, herself and the Hero possesses the courage of a Hero from many millennia before.

Oh, yes, now that I look more at them it makes sense. He is stone-still with his eyes only on the Princess, because she is the power. And the Princess! Oh, she is quite lovely for a Hylian with blonde hair and traveling clothes. Very casual for a woman of royalty, but seeing as I wear… Nothing… I can respect that!

For some reason, they’ve slowed to a stop and the golden light that once radiated off of the Princess faded tremendously. She clutched the tablet in her hands and looked downwards. Did she spot some dung or something on her shoe?

The Hero also stopped, not wanting to get too close.

“Tell me the truth…” She began.

For the first time, she acknowledged him, but barely. She cannot seem to bring herself to look at him fully. Maybe she thinks the Hero is ugly? I really have a tough time deciphering Hylians apart so I cannot be an accurate judge of this. Hylians aren’t like plants, you see. They engage in very strange activities that me and a few other poor seeds have had the horror of witnessing sometimes near our forests. The Deku tree says it has to do with how secluded forests can be. I know it is wrong to judge the traditions of another species, but I truly do not get it. To me, it looks like they are wrestling, which seems to be the opposite of love and- well, you get the point. It’s certainly no seed-handing ritual, okay? My point is, I cannot tell if these two like each other or hate each other.

Why would she hate him anyway? It’s not like he said anything offensive. It does not seem he ever says anything at all.

“How proficient are you right now, wielding that sword on your back?” She asked.

Did she truly just question the HERO OF HYRULE? I can’t really be mad, because if anyone can do it, she can? Oh, GODDESS! What if he can’t fight? I see the sword on his back now and yes, it’s definitely the sword from our forest. I wasn’t there when the Hero removed it, but I heard all about it. He did it with little effort at all. No way would the Goddess choose someone who wasn’t worthy… Right?

“Legend says that an ancient voice resonates inside it.”

Yes, her name is Fi, Princess.

“Can you hear it yet… _Hero_?”

The term ‘Hero’ was always supposed to be a positive thing, but as it came from the Princess, it almost sounded like an insult. I did not know who I felt worse for: The Princess, the Hero, or me.

They were still for a while and he hardly even flinched at the insult. Instead, only the sounds of the serene environment filled the void between them.

“Are you even listening?” She turned fully to face him now, hands on her hips and all.

From what little I’ve seen about the female Hylian race, this was never a good sign for the male she was arguing with. If you could call this an argument.

He nodded after a very long moment of silence, which was at least some acknowledgment of her question. I have to admit, I wouldn’t know what to say to her either. Fi doesn’t really _talk_ to you, but she is supposed to have this connection with her master. So technically, there’s no real voice. It’s more telepathy than anything. I’m no Hero of Hyrule though. I’m barely a seed collector.

“And have you got anything at all to contribute?” She demanded with eyes of steel. Her cheeks were rosy and her lip was in a straight line.

He shrugged. Did he not have a tongue? Did this Princess take it away from him?

No, Hylia’s descendants were never cruel in nature.

She laughed, but not because she found anything about this to be funny. We had just experienced a happy Princess mere minutes ago, but that was all gone to fertilizer now.

“Another enthralling conversation, as always. Of all your strong suits, I’d argue talking is your best.”

I don’t think she meant that.

They trudged in silence for a while and as I followed, an idea bloomed in my head. Perhaps, the Knight could demonstrate his skill to the Princess by finding my red maraca? Then, they would get along and I would be able to assist them in their quest to beat Ganon down the road.

They eventually reached a stable much to both of their relief. I couldn’t tread too close, because last time, a wild horse tried to eat me and the dogs chased me everywhere in sight. I could use the workout, but I’m not going for it.

“I don’t need you breathing down my neck, here, thanks.” She said shortly. “Believe it or not, I’m capable of washing myself.”

She had turned around too quickly to see the flush climb up the Hero’s ears, but she had her own redness to her neck as she walked into the tent. Another man walked up to Link with a musical instrument at hand. No, it was not a maraca. I told you, one maraca is useless! This man had a stringed instrument and a gray ponytail on the top of his head.

“Have you been bothering the fair lady?” He asked in a positively snooty voice that I did not care for. Clearly, he was putting on airs for the Princess.

The Hero grunted in response.

“I suggest you just do your duty and stay out of her hair.”

“I’m trying to do just that.” The Hero CAN speak, even if quietly.

“Well, you’re doing a crummy job of it. She’s absolutely miserable. She didn’t even want to hear the song I’d written her.”

“What are you even doing here?” The Hero almost sounded accusing if he wasn’t so calm.

“I’m the court poet, I go where my muse goes.”

Ah, so he fancies the Princess. Yes, well, good luck, man. She does not seem all that eager to be pleased by anyone.

The Hero squared his shoulders and stood eye-to-eye with the skinny man. “Not without encountering me.”

The court poet, who would be absolutely destroyed in a battle against the Hero, slunk down a bit and stepped backwards. He was sure to put the instrument between them as if that would be any match for the Master Sword.

“I’m a lover, not a fighter.”

“What about a stalker?”

The court poet furrowed his brow. “I will not stand here and take such accusations from a bodyguard.”

“Good, please leave then.” The Hero said, never breaking composure.

“What is going on out here?” A freshly washed Princess emerged and looked between the two men expectedly.

“Oh, I was just chatting with Link.” The poet plastered a smile on his face.

He was probably just relieved he wouldn’t be pulverized by him.

“Chatting… With?” She looked at the Hero- Link- in surprise and something akin to disappointment flushed across her features and maybe a little bit of sadness. Then, it was immediately replaced with a sour twist. “Oh, isn’t that splendid? Well, Link, if you’ll just wait out here, Lawrence said he had an ancient song to play me. Perhaps, while you wait, you can envision what your next conversation will hold.”

When they walked into the stable and music began to play, Lawrence flashed Link an appraising stare as if to say he’d won this match. Link had his hand balled into a fist. He showed his first signs of emotion and it was not positive.

I could no longer remain in the shadows so I made myself known and walked over to him. The dogs were asleep and the horses were all corralled. It was now or never for me.

“Hello, there.” I said, trying to not startle him.

He did not appear affected by me in the slightest and merely nodded in return. Did he only speak when it involved his job? That was my theory in the matter.

“I am Hestu of the Korok seeds. I’m a collector-”

“I know.” He said simply.

Oh, so that theory dissolved before my eyes.

“I couldn’t help but notice your plight.”

“As you were following us.” He clarified. “I saw you.”

It is possible I had not been as discrete as I thought in my spying endeavors. The shame of it! To be discovered peaking and spying by the Hero of Hyrule. How would he ever trust me?

“I assure you I mean no ill-will.”

“Isn’t this just what Koroks do?” He shrugged.

Okay, so he knew we are harmless. Good. I did not want to have my second experience at a stable be so negative.

“Maybe I could help you impress the Princess?”

He raised his eyebrows just a tad. “I don’t need to impress her.”

I winced and glanced towards the inside of the stable, where Lawrence the poet was singing a song about beauty and divinity while the Princess was writing in a journal. “Are ya sure?”

He sighed, “It is not my job to impress her. It is my job to protect her.”

“Still, perhaps you would be better suited in your battle against Ganon if you got along a little better. I don’t know why she hates you so.”

“I don’t know if she-”

“-Oh, she hates you. Trust me, I know Hylians. She’s clearly in love with that court poet of hers. Why else would she invite him in like that?”

He resisted the desire to turn around and shrugged.

“That doesn’t bother you.”

He shook his head.

LIES. I saw his face when she invited the court poet in. It was impossible to disguise as my voluptuous body in the forest earlier.

“Seriously, if you retrieve my illusive stolen maraca, she might see that you are worthy to be her Hero.”

He remained stone-faced. “A stolen maraca?”

“Yes, by an evil Korok gone bad.”

He crossed his arms. “Right.”

“It could be good practice, I don’t know.” I shrugged.

“What’s this maraca look like?”

I raised the one I did have in my hand. “Just like this, only it goes in the other hand.”

He shook his head and released a sigh. Link reached around me and plucked something from my back pocket and held out MY OTHER MARACA!!!!!!

“OH THANK THE GODDESS YOU FOUND IT!”

I twirled and shook and did my little Korok dance before regarding the Hero before me.

“You really are a Hero.”

He did not seem convinced for some reason.

“If you want, I can tell the Princess all about this. I bet that’ll make her forget about the much handsomer court poet.”

I mean, he had to be handsomer if she was presently interested in him? His gray ponytail and noodle-arms and red eyes. Whereas the Hero was much stranger looking with bright blue eyes, muscles, and windswept blond hair.

“That’s okay.” He said.

“Are you sure?”

He nodded sagely.

I shrugged, simply happy to have gotten my maraca back. I couldn’t imagine letting everyone in the forest down by not having such a crucial piece of power. Seriously, nobody in the entire world knows what I was going through for those hours. To not have a power deigned to you by your family bloodline and to have everyone watching you, expecting you to fill out such a critical task? Wow. I wish that upon no one. The Hero and the Princess are so lucky.

Well, even if they hate each other. God help us all!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "Listen, I would take a whisper if that's all you had to give, but it isn't, is it? You could come and save me and try to chase the crazy right out of my head."


	5. Daruk

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Link gets some much needed advice from Daruk regarding his negative relationship with Zelda.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Associated with Memory #4: Daruk's Mettle
> 
> Mood-setting song: "Vienna" by Billy Joel
> 
> "Slow down, you crazy child, you're so ambitious for a juvenile. But then if you're so smart, then tell me... Why are you still so afraid?"

I gotta say, piloting a Divine Beast is some hard work! I can lift more than three times my body weight, which if you asked a Hylian, is a lot. If you asked a Goron, they’d say I was going soft, because it used to be four times my body weight.  My spirit is as strong as ever, obviously, because the Tiny Princess chose me to steer Vah Rudania, which as I said, is no small task.

I always tell my boys and girls that empty pride gets you nowhere! If you need help lifting a rock, you might as well ask for help before you crumble under the hot sun. I doubt they’ve got that written in the various scripture that the Tiny Princess is forced to bury her nose into on the daily. Maybe, they should.

She and the Little Guy aren’t really getting along the way I’d thought they would. The Tiny Princess almost never had anyone her own age around to pal around with and the Little Guy… Well, the very first thing he’d said when he first eyed the Tiny Princess was about how pretty she was. He’d said it real quiet-like, but people think because my skin is made of stone that I don’t have ears.

When they came to Goron City, the Tiny Princess almost seemed happy that I couldn’t figure out Rudania. Maybe it gave her a reason to get out of the house. It didn’t matter, because I was glad to get a break from it all and just hang out with my little buddy.

He’s really hesitant to leave the Tiny Princess alone, much to her annoyance. When I suggested he and I test out Rudania and the Tiny Princess stay below to record the results, he seemed pretty against it. He didn’t say so- or anything at all, but he stayed firmly a few feet away from her.

“She’ll be fine, Ona is with her!” I exclaimed.

Ona is my eldest daughter, of course and the toughest of her age. Sooner or later, she’s going to outlift her old man and when that day comes, I’ll be happier than a lizard under a rock. She’s a lot smarter than me too, much like her mother. That’s another thing with Hylians I don’t get. I don’t have much experience with them, but between the Little Guy and the Tiny Princess, it seems like none of them have very good relationships with their dad’s. I can’t even imagine what kind of man I’d be without my dad and I’d like to think I’m making a good life for Ona and her siblings.

The Tiny Princess looked up from that funny piece of tech she brings everywhere and screwed her face up into a very unpleasant expression. “You don’t need to watch me like a dog. I won’t run. _You_ have all of the cooling elixirs.”

She looked like she might have needed one with how red her ears and cheeks were when she looked directly at the Little Guy.

Seems to me like she’s given him the slip a time or two and he was starting to learn how to prevent this. Very tricky. I could see why he was so cautious to leave her alone. She was right though, she wouldn’t get far without a nice elixir to freshen her up. The last thing we needed was a crispy Princess.

He didn’t seem too bothered by this or have any reaction at all, which always amazed me. I don’t know how he did that. If my wife ever acted so cross with me, I’d be really upset and probably have to go workout to blow off some steam and figure out what I did to get her so mad at me.

Then, in my experience, you take her to the hot springs and bring her home for some homemade rock roast. Maybe buy her a ruby or two if you’ve really done yourself in.

I don’t think he’s tried that yet and maybe when we’re out of earshot I could have the chance to suggest it.  

I patted him on the back, making him jolt forward. I really need to be more aware of their puny frames and how inferior they are to the Goron form. It’s hard to remember when you hear about all of the incredible things Link has done!

He stared at her for a moment longer before relenting. “Come see me if you need one.”

“Yes, very well.” She said very tightly and turned back to her tablet.

When we walked away, the mood seemed to turn up instantly! The Tiny Princess was talking quite kindly to Ona and Ona seemed to appreciate her insight too! I knew the Tiny Princess was a nice girl. She’s never been cross with me or the other Champions. As much as people may question if she’s up to snuff when it comes to her powers, everyone usually says how kind she is.  

It seems like it’s just the Little Guy that ticks her off…

Can’t really see why. He’s pretty mild mannered when he’s not in battle. Whew! I’ve seen him fight too. There’s nothing to be annoyed about there. Revali doubts him, but that’s just ‘cause he’s jealous that he can’t take down a Lynel with a stick and without any armor. I heard about his embarrassing defeat. Maybe that’ll teach the bird to keep his mouth shut when he doesn’t know what he’s talking about. I never liked bullies.

The Little Guy was pretty quiet as we climbed aboard and I knew from experience that he wasn’t gonna just start spewing his guts. You gotta pry it from him with your bare hands. Like anything, it takes hard work and understanding.

I did have other things to think about too, of course, because Rudania and I’s partnership wasn’t exactly as strong as it should be either. The Little Guy watched me try and operate it with silent and unjudging eyes. I kind of forgot he was there as I failed time after time to get him to go in the direction I wanted.

“Daruk!” The Tiny Princess called from down below. She looked even tinier from that far down. “What’s going on?”

“He’s not listening to me!” I called back and I’ll admit, it was a little frustrating.

I’m not the sharpest rock in the pile so I don’t even get why she chose me to be the Champion. I’m tough and brave, but I’m no pilot.

“Mipha reported that she had to become in tune with Ruta.” She said. “The Divine Beasts are man-made but there’s more to them than mechanisms and algorithm. It appears they are meant to develop a magnetic bond to the soul of their champion and perform in synchronization.”

I didn’t know what that was supposed to do for me.

“Do _you_ know what I’m supposed to do with that?” I asked the Little Guy.

He was unmoving and unresponsive long enough where I figured he didn’t know any better than me. The Tiny Princess was very scientific and smart. Sometimes I think she forgets we aren’t all hardwired the same. I would be damned if my dumbness was the only thing between Hyrule’s safety. I needed to force myself to figure it out.

“Rudania is supposed to be an extension of you.” He said finally.

“Huh?”

“It’s not about physical strength. You have to open up to it and… work together.”

That was some pretty enlightening insight from such a quiet dude. I couldn’t help but wonder what else he was storing in that head of his! Makes sense, though. He spends so much time with the Tiny Princess that of course he picked up on a thing or two.

He slunk back into his usual silence, but I took his words to heart and really let myself feel. I extended out mentally and tried to find something in common with Rudania. It was hard at first, because we’re pretty different. I’m a Goron and Rudania is a machine built by the ancients to destroy a Calamity. Then again, maybe I was built to do the same.

I started to feel a spark at my chest if that makes sense and it was trippy. We were not so different after all. I liked to eat rocks and so did Rudania. I had a lot to lose and prove and so did Rudania. I wanted to save Hyrule and so did Rudania.

Sometimes, you just gotta stop thinking of things from how you see them. I’m not just moving around some toy, even if it became fun after a while! I’m working with the big guy. We are a team and I wondered if the Tiny Princess would consider making a tunic or scarf big enough for Rudania if she had the chance.

“You’ve got it!” She exclaimed from below and clapped her hands together so excitedly that she almost dropped the glowing piece of tech.

“Link got to me!” I cheered and I know we were pretty far apart, but something in her demeanor faltered for a second before bouncing back into her old bubbly self.

“That’s… Great!” She paused, “How does it feel?”

“Feels good!” I gave her the thumbs up. “I’m gonna take this puppy for a spin if you don’t mind.”

“Be my guest!” She laughed and took some notes down or something.

We hiked around the beautiful expanse of the mountains until Goron was on the other side. It didn’t matter what was in Rudania’s path, because it crushed it with its wiry legs. Fire didn’t burn it the same way it didn’t hurt me. More and more it seemed like we were finding similarities.

Weirdly enough, it was pretty funny when it wanted to be too. I can’t explain the jokes just in case there are any kiddos lingering about, but still.

“Yeah!” I thrust an arm into the air. “I think I’m finally getting the hang of controlling this Divine Beast.”

Rudania released a loud howl to the heavens to proclaim that he was getting the hang of controlling me too! It filled me with a glee I hadn’t experienced since my children were babies!

I took a moment to stretch. You can’t let the muscles go sore.

“I tell you what… Sure is a blast piloting a toy like this around. Let those other Champions knows they better eat their gravel if they wanna keep up with Daruk.”

All in good fun, of course. Besides Revali, I don’t have any beef with the Champions. The Mini Zora Princess is very shy little thing, but sweeter than plum cake and Urbosa, damn… That’s a warrior right there. She reminds me a little bit of my wife- tough as nails! Just how a Champion should be! If all of the other Champions were as prepared as me, we were going to turn Ganon into dust before he could even sneeze. Then, nothing would stop our beautiful land from prospering as a place where our kids could grow up and make it better!

My eyes fell onto the pretty mountaintops. “Speaking of which, can you believe this view?”

The Little Guy followed my gaze with reverence. He’s always had an appreciation for the wild that I can relate to.

Though, honestly, I was mostly looking out of hunger. “Just look at all of those delectable rocks sprinkled on those mountains… I might not know a whole lot about this Calamity Ganon thing, but mark my words I’ll protect this land of ours to the death!”

He looked at me with a severity that reflected my spirit. He would too.

“Right, Little Guy?” I smacked his back again and he flew forward. I know it might be mean, but I couldn’t help but laugh. He was so pocket-sized and lanky. It would be an advantage to all that underestimate him!

Still, he seemed a little knocked out of his usual seriousness and I realized this was as good a time as any.

“Hey, by the way… congrats on becoming the Princess’s appointed knight. That’s a really big deal! Protecting the King’s daughter. No pressure!”

He shifted on his feet a little and I knew he was under a whole lot of pressure.

“Seriously, though. The Princess is a strong personality- so strong she can’t quite see the range for the peaks. Remember that and you’ll be fine.”

I was about to go a little more in-depth when a large rumbling was afoot in the distance. It graduated into a shake that was enough to almost knock the Little Guy completely off balance.

“What the-”

Suddenly, the peak above us crumbled and gigantic boulders came plumenting down. This might not have affected me all that much, but I knew my smaller Hylian companion couldn’t resist that weight- no matter how strong he was. Quickly, I administered my protection- a power I hadn’t been able to really master until I had a family… Until I had something worth protecting.

“All right… So, what was I saying?” I wanted to get back to the topic at hand, but I have to admit, I was a little spooked by that sudden outburst. I’ve been traveling these mountains all my life and have never seen something like that happen before.

“That was a little strange…” I admitted. “As far as I know, Death Mountain has been quiet for decades. But if the mountain is shivering enough to send down a bunch of boulders that size then… ”

I let the words die on my tongue before I had a chance to fully process what I was getting at. I didn’t want to think that this could be a sign. Earthquakes happen, right? It didn’t mean the Calamity was at our doorstep.

“Nevermind, forget I said anything.”

The Little Guy didn’t seem so eager to forget, but said nothing as we turned to head back to Goron City.

When we returned, I was met with an onslaught of hugs and a chorus of my family asking if I was alright. I didn’t tell them about my nagging suspicions, of course. What kind of man would go and worry his family like that?

The Tiny Princess approached me once the sea of little rocks parted and took the Little Guy and I in with wide and curious eyes.

“I’m glad you two are okay.” Her eyes flickered to the Little Guy for just a moment, indicating that okay, she didn’t _totally_ hate his guts. That was a good sign. She didn’t want him dead and that’s a start.

“But you must tell me what happened out there.”

“Felt like intense tremors.” I said. “We were almost crushed by some big rocks.”

“How did Rudania respond?” she asked.

I… honestly didn’t know. I hadn’t really been paying attention to the Divine Beast in favor of saving our skins. The Little Guy, however, managed to come in clutch.

“Very still.” He said. “It didn’t do anything.”

“It didn’t react at all?” She seemed shocked he spoke, but I’m sure he was just covering for me. I’d just got the confidence to pilot the thing. I didn’t know I was supposed to be listening and feeling all of the time. It seemed the Little Guy was doing that though.

He shook his head.

“And the rocks… They fell from the highest peaks?”

“Yes.”

“Even though Death Mountain has been dormant for a century?”

“Yes.” He said.

“Interesting.” She bit her lip. “I would like to investigate this further.”

He nodded. “I think you should.”

“Would you…” She trailed off. “Do you have any other insights into what happened? Or even Rudania’s initial starting. Daruk did mention you were the one to… Inspire him? That is... Would you like to help?”

It was an olive branch!

But, Little Guy doesn’t know anything about women, because instead of accepting, he gave her an appraising look. He was probably more than a little surprised at her turn of mood and I knew he meant no harm by it, but he said, “Before or after your nightly prayers?”

The Tiny Princess’ eyes widened just a fraction and it looked like the breath had been stolen from her.  “You’re right. Tomorrow, I will adjourn for the evening to see what any of this means in relation to a potential…”

She didn’t seem keen on thinking too hard on that either. We definitely weren’t ready for such a thing.

“You are free for the evening.” She nodded a head at the Little Guy, who started to follow her.

He stopped in his tracks and tilted his head to the side like a puppy might if he were confused. I think he knew that the Tiny Princess had plans to investigate Rudania for herself. We could all see that.

He pulled out an elixir and handed it to her.

“Did you not hear me?” She asked.

“I don’t get nights off.”

“As your sovereign, I say you do.”

“I swore an oath to your father to protect you, despite what you may think you need. That is my duty.” He said without any trace of emotion in it and she tried to look in his eyes for something that she apparently couldn’t find. She took the elixir and downed it while not breaking eye contact with him. Then, she turned around swift enough to hit him in the face with her long, golden hair, and stomped off to the little guest bedroom we had set up for her. We weren’t used to having royalty in our midst, but she didn’t complain about the rock mattress and thanked us all for our hospitality anyway.

She glared at the Little Guy. “If you insist on standing guard and declining rest, would you at least not stand so close?”

He didn’t respond when she shut the door behind her and stared at where she’d left for just a moment.

I watched him turn around to accept his post and stand guard and walked over to stand next to him.

“You okay, Little Guy?”

He gave me an incredulous look.

“It’s got to bother you. Y’know…” I nodded at the door.

He shrugged, but it didn’t convince me. No, I’m not that dumb.

“If it helps, I don’t think she hates you.”

He snorted a little and it was good to see him laugh even if just a little bit. He was wound too tight… Needed to find a release for all that tension coiled up.

“Do you want my advice?”

I was going to give it anyway, of course! He needed it!

“Sure.” He said to my surprise. So… this _was_ bothering him just as much as it would anyone.

“Remember what you told me about Rudania? And how I needed to open up to it for it to become a real partnership? Well, women aren’t all that different from Divine Beasts in that way. Maybe just maybe… You should talk to the Tiny Princess and tell her what’s up.”

He quirked an eyebrow at me. I was going to need to explain more than that. “Girls like guys that are in touch with their feelings. As tough as I may be, I’m sure not afraid to cry and my wife loves me for it!”

“I’m not trying to get her to…” He sighed. “Whenever I speak, I say the wrong thing.”

“That’s because you hardly get much practice.”

He turned his head towards the horizon and shrugged.

“I think she’d be glad to hear how pretty you think she is. Girls _love_ hearing that!”

His head snapped towards the door and peered around to the window, where we could see the Tiny Princess was now fast asleep. He breathed out a sigh of relief before glaring at me and drawing a finger across his neck to indicate I shut up about it already.

“Okay, okay, mums the word, I get it, Little Guy.” I laughed.

I just don’t get Hylians, sometimes. If you feel something, say it! All that tension and buildup… It’s all gotta blow up at some point and it might as well be at your own accord.

“But you should talk to her. I think she might be wound even tighter than you. Maybe don’t remind her about her prayers again too. I don’t think she liked that very much.”

He sighed. “No kidding.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "But you know that when the truth is told, that you can get what you want or you can just get old."


	6. Robbie

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Needing distance from her over-bearing knight, Zelda heads straight to the Guardian Ruins to blow off some steam.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Associated with Memory #5: Zelda's Resentment
> 
> Mood-setting song: "Over My Head" by The Fray
> 
> "I never knew that everything was falling through... That everyone I knew was waiting on a cue, to turn and run when all I needed was the truth."

 Sometimes, being a renowned scientist means getting your hands dirty and I was alright with this prospect, so long as it was for good reason. I have better ways to spend my time than rolling around in mud for the folly of it. That was how being waist-deep in the shells of Guardians was beginning to feel. I knew in my bones that I could discover the source of their power. One day, I will see their eyes go red if it’s the last thing I do!

It didn’t help that the company was not always great.

I don’t mind the court poet and his insistence on breathing down my neck to get every scrap of detail from my research. He needs them for his song and as a fellow Sheikah, I respect his craft and understand it has its importance. It’s supposed to support the religious half of the conquest against Ganon. I must admit though, I do not find him nearly as amusing as most of the girls in Castle Town do.

Not more than _I_ do, of course, but in truth, he could have all of the eager maids and servant girls he wanted. They were lovely, of course, but there was really just one girl I could not seem to hook. Naturally, she seemed to fawn over Lawrence’s crooning rhymes about love lost and won.

The wanker doesn’t even notice her blushing cheeks. He’s too fixated on impossible conquests and misconstrues the drama of it all for love. Ah, youth. I’m not much older than Lawrence- just 3 years or so, but it does make all the difference. I was never as sentimental as him. I didn’t exactly write a sonnet about the time a maiden claimed my virginity, but I’m not as clinical as Purah!

If she ever gets married… I pity that person. She’s a force to be reckoned with.

“Where’s the Princess?” He asked as he draped himself over the side of a Guardian shell.

I sighed. I’m unsure when the boy decided I was to be his confidant when it came to his hopeless obsession with Princess Zelda.

“Do I look like her keeper?” I retorted. My voice echoed off the hollow interior of the Guardian I was currently submerged into. Just my feet hung out the ends. Lawrence was supposed to be writing a song of these Guardians, but was feeling particularly uninspired on that front.

I can’t say I differed much there.

“Of course not, she actually likes you. Her actual keeper, not so much.”

“You don’t sound so upset about that.” I said.

I did not see him, but I knew he shrugged and I knew he had a smug smile painted across his face. If half of the women in the castle liked me and the other half liked Lawrence, it did not matter, because every single one of them liked Link. The silent boy seemed virtually nonplussed by this and was diligent in his job. Lawrence, for some reason thinking of this as if he ever stood a chance, was elated to see that Princess Zelda seemed to be the only girl in Hyrule completely disgusted with the Hero of Hyrule.

“You know she’s going to marry some prince one day, right?” I said.

“Oh, naturally.” He said, still sounding positive. “But I should feel no qualms of her lying with someone worthy of her time. Besides, if I could woo her, it would be a star-crossed heartbreak for the centuries.”

That was the biggest slice of stupid I’d heard in a long time, so I had to climb from my work and cast him a disbelieving stare.

“Those goggles look very silly.” He commented.

What nerve!

“You want to enter a relationship you know would end poorly simply so you could write a few songs of it?”

“Not all love is meant to last, but why should that make it any less impactful or important?”

“Because that’s foolish.”

“Do all of your experiments turn out positively?” He countered.

I looked back at the inactive Guardian. “No.”

“And do you give up even the odds are not in your favor?”

I narrowed my eyes at him. “There’s a difference between having a sliver of hope and knowing something is doomed from the start. I don’t perform experiments I know will fail. What you’re proposing is a false equivalent.”

He tightened his jaw and strummed his lyre absently. “Perhaps, but what of Cherry?”

I tensed at his mentioning of her. So he _did_ know.

“What about her?”

“If you knew your relationship would fail or would never work out, would your time spent together not mean more to you than the false importance of ‘ending up together’?”

“Cherry does not know I exist.”

“Yet.” He leaned forward with a sly smile. “I could help change that. For starters, ditch those goggles. They are not doing you any favors.”

My pride wanted to thump me on the back of the head for even considering accepting this boy’s help in winning Cherry’s affections. I was a grown man and could I not woo a woman on my own?

“And what’s in it for you, singer?”

“I love _love_ , Doctor Robbie.” He strummed that lyre again. “And if you were to ever throw an ancient core or two my way to present to the Princess, that would not be so bad.”

I sighed. A love song would catch Cherry’s attention.

I went to Cherry’s bar just about every day and I don’t even drink that heavily. I just wanted to hear her sweet voice. It took me weeks to even catch the courage to speak to her. Even then, it was just to place my order. She probably just really thinks I’m into club sodas.

It was ludicrous! I’ve had my fair share of women and never had one instilled such a reaction in me. Perhaps, my youth was captivated mostly by science and my dedication to the crown. I didn’t have time for romance. But now… I was under Cherry’s spell.

Last week, I managed to make her laugh with a dumb joke I’d rehearsed in the mirror an embarrassing amount of times. The way her eyes crinkled when she gave herself over to the throws of laughter or the way her full lips curled and the bubbly sound released from her chest… There was nothing scientific about it, but I did find it instilled a reaction in me that felt quite chemical and biological.

Lawrence was always skulking around playing his songs about the Princess and Cherry always leaned forward on the bar, resting her chin on her blessed hand. Her strawberry blonde bangs fell loosely into her soft brown eyes. I longed more than anything to be the cause of that stare.

And Lawrence knew he had my beloved entranced, because of course he did. Love was his science in a way, and he mastered his craft of observation. His field work could use some improvement, clearly, because I don’t see him in a relationship, but I wasn’t going to point that out to him now.

I was about to agree, pride be damned, because I truly had attempted everything, but the whinny of an incoming horse stirred both of us from our conversation and I thought Lawrence, who’d previously been playing it so cool, was about to topple over when it was Princess Zelda- alone- coming over to us.

We both scrambled to our feet to greet her and I tried to wipe the grease onto my pants. I had no romantic interest in the Princess. She felt like family and was a little young for me.

Still, she was Hylia’s descendent. The least I could do was make sure I didn’t get any grease on her.

“Princess? Where’s Link?” I asked when I caught the anguished look on her face, a cold sweat fell over me.

She slid off her horse and averted her gaze from mine or Lawrence’s; her demeanor was resolute and not to be questioned. “Knowing him? On his way here.”

Lawrence and I exchanged curious glances. Why was he not with her? Well, I think we both knew the reason for that. The maids were a grapevine of information and according to them, Princess Zelda was always trying to give Link the slip. She was usually unsuccessful in her endeavors. The knight had even taken to setting up camp outside her chambers. I heard from Alice, her primary chamber maid, that Princess Zelda climbed out the window a time or two to try and escape Link.

_“It would be funny seeing him cluelessly searching everywhere if she weren’t putting herself and the entire kingdom in danger in her childish antics.” Alice said._

_“I wonder why she runs.” I asked._

_“Well, he’s the one with all the courage, right? It makes sense if she’s lacking.”_

_“By that logic, she should be wise.” Another maid, Cindy, suggested._

_“Wisdom isn’t like courage. You aren’t born with it.” Alice said._

Lawrence quickly recovered from his surprise and joined the Princess where she knelt over some of my forgotten notes in the grass.

“I think Robbie found some cool ancient cores!” Lawrence said brightly and shot me a look that told me he was already eager to cash in on that favor.

“Have you derived anything else from the ancients regarding how the Calamity will be prevented?” She asked, gliding over his cheerful suggestion.

She was such a distracted girl, but I couldn’t say I blamed her for it.

“Uh-N-no, your highness.” Lawrence stumbled, deflated that he didn’t have better news to bring a smile to her face.

She didn’t seem surprised by this, of course. “Right, I didn’t think so. The ancients have never been known to spell much out beyond the truth that a Calamity is coming and we must be prepared… But with what… That is the question.”

Her eyes lingered to the Guardian beside her and she rested a hand on it. “My Father thinks this is a waste of time.”

That wasn’t exactly a boost to my ego, but she continued. “I do not. I don’t… think it wise to place all of our eggs in one basket when it comes to fate. Between this and the Divine Beasts, we will at least have a first line of defense to prevent any collateral damage to the settlements of Hyrule.”

“You will get your power, my grace.” Lawrence said eagerly, gently placing a hand on top of hers.

She nodded. “I appreciate that. It is loyalty and faith such as this that will be Hyrule’s true savior in the end.”

Her voice was so diplomatic and perhaps it was the fact that she allowed Lawrence to hold her hand or her acceptance of his praise, but he did not seem to notice the forlorn expression on her face. Her eyes were red as though she’d been crying, her jaw was set, and she seemed paler than I’d ever seen her.

“Why did you leave Link behind?” I asked finally.

Lawrence opened his mouth as if to interject about it being none of my business or to respect the Princess’ wishes.

Princess Zelda beat him to any possible defense spoken on her behalf. “I just wanted one afternoon without judgement.”

The poet’s words were lost to the wild and he seemed just as perplexed as I was.

“Judgement?” I asked.

“Yes.” She said simply. “He does not say much, but when he does, it’s only to ever remind me of my duty, as if he does not see me constantly agonizing over it.”

“That cur!” Lawrence’s outburst took both myself and Zelda by surprise.

Was it treasonous to speak of the Hero that way? I suppose not. He was not of royal standing. More of a tool to be used than anything.

“That’s not to say I don’t deserve it.” She lamented.

“No, no you don’t. You deserve… You deserve to be cherished, Princess.”

I rolled my eyes at the court poet trying to use _right now_ as a time to twist this into a romantic moment. Maybe I didn’t want his help in romancing Cherry. If it was going anything like this.

Much to the poet’s disappointment, Princess Zelda slowly slipped her hand from under his and rested it in her lap. His eyes followed hers in the action and then he released a sigh without saying anything else.

“I said something very horrible to him as I was riding off.”

“What did you say?” I asked.

“He asked me where I was going and I told him to…” She paused, suddenly self-conscious. “I told him to go fuck himself.”

“And then you stole his horse.” I finished with a nod towards Epona, who was strong and mighty, but did not have the regality of the horses the Princess was usually seen riding.

“Yes, that about sums it up.” She covered her eyes with her hands in mortification.

I whistled while Lawrence had to struggle not to laugh at the image of the cordial and polite Princess Zelda telling anyone, let alone his ‘rival’ to go fuck themselves. If she were not so upset about the encounter, I might have found it funnier, myself, but as it stood, Princess Zelda did not seem pleased with herself.

“My Father is going to kill me.” She fell back onto the grass. “But I don’t care. I really don’t, Robbie. It might be easier than having _him_ follow me everywhere I go with that stupid blank look on his face.”

I sat down beside her. “His protection is for your own good.”

“Until I can protect myself, you mean. I know.” She spat. “I know what I have to do, but _how_ … That’s obscured from my knowledge. It’s not as simple as plucking a sword from the forest. If it were, I assure you, I would have plucked them all by now.”

“I swear to you, Princess, that I will not rest until I come up with more suggestions for you based on the songs of ancient. I’ll research every hymn-”

“-I appreciate that.” She interrupted Lawrence. “But I fear it is something undocumented… Something my Mother should have passed on to me.”

A heavy silence washed over. We all wished the late Queen was still alive. None of this would be much issue if she were. She had power and was a much better ruler than Rhoam ever was. Regal and elegant- the picture of Hylia’s grace. It had to be a heavy burden to carry on her legacy.

“Maybe you need a break.” I suggested. “What do you say you help me inspect this last Guardian and then I’ll escort you back to the castle and your study?”

She did not seem at all pleased by the prospect of returning to the castle, but she accepted the offer and carefully picked up my notebook. She had much better handwriting than I did, so this would benefit the both of us.

“Um, who’s Cherry?” She asked.

I flushed, having forgotten how often I scribed Cherry’s name into the columns of the notebook.

“Uh… My favorite type of pie.”

“You wish to marry pie?” She furrowed her brow. “Because its written with many hearts and even with your last name afterwards.”

Lawrence snickered. “Cherry is his love, my lady.”

“Don’t spread that around!” I felt my face growing hotter.

The Princess smiled for the first time that day. “So she is not aware of your affections just yet.”

“No.” I sighed and busied myself with the Guardian shell.

“Will you tell her?” She handed me a wrench.

“I hope to.”

“He is suddenly shy and bashful.” Lawrence sighed, “Love does make a person act quite irrationally.”

“I wouldn’t know.” She said with a shrug.

“Perhaps…” Lawrence began. “One day you will?”

She stilled. “No, I don’t think so.”

“But why? Love is the very air around us. If one does not love, they have not lived.”

“Being Princess is not about living.” She sounded like she quoting someone, most likely her father, “It’s about serving her people so that they can live.”

She did not seem to believe that for herself though.

“Sometimes I wish I wasn’t…” She stopped short. “I don’t quite see myself being the kind of person wrapped up in love or really having the chance to be. I think you should tell her of your feelings, Robbie. She would be lucky to have you.”

“Thank you, Princess.” I said softly.

Later that day, when I escorted her back to the castle, Link awaited her at the gates. It was wise of the boy not to track her down. I used my slate to let Impa and Purah know that the Princess was safe so surely they communicated the message to him.

He said nothing when we met him. He showed no emotion at her empty greeting and the two avoided each other’s eye contact.

“I assume my father wishes to speak to me.” She said, voice hollow.

“No.” Link returned.

She turned back to look at him. “No?”

“He does not know.” He looked down at his shoes. Was he bashful?

“You did not tell him?”

He shook his head.

“Or your father?”

Another solemn decline.

“No one?”

“Impa knows.” He said and nodded at me. Impa would never relay the message to Rhoam so long as the Princess was in safe care. There was no need to start any melodrama this late in the day.

“Why?”

He tilted his head in confusion.

“Why didn’t you tell them?”

Oh, this was awkward. I couldn’t exactly take my leave, in part because Purah would kill me if I didn’t relay the full story of drama. She was relentless when it came to getting the scoop. I always told her of the rumors I’d heard through the maids and cooks that I was close with. Also, it would be rude to leave. Lawrence was trying to refrain from writing a song on the spot and I felt I needed to be there to restrain him from doing so.

“It would be trouble.”

For him? For her? For both of them? It was impossible to know what he meant beyond that mask he wore so well. What kind of person was Link beneath the surface? How did he tick? Sometimes, I wondered if he was just as empty inside as the Guardians I spent my days in. Other times, I theorized he was just very complicated and had yet to be activated.

I glanced to Lawrence, who seemed taken aback for some reason and showed no more traces of smugness… Which was weird. I know he tended to overanalyze anything when it came to the Princess, but what could have seen here that I was missing?

Princess Zelda nodded stiffly, suddenly laden with a heaviness that hadn’t been there before. She turned to us and hugged both Lawrence and I, respectively. It was odd. I don’t remember hugging her before, but I returned the gesture and Lawrence ate it up like a starving man.

“Thank you for returning me safely.” She said. “I’ll be preparing for my evening prayers then.”

It wasn’t until long after she turned  with Link at her heels and Lawrence and I were back at the lab when the poet finally spoke.

“It was strange that he covered for her, was it not?”

“It seemed the honorable thing to do.” I said. “What do you think of my baking a cherry pie for Cherry as a gesture?”

“Can you bake?”

“No.”

“Then no.” He said. “Of course, he could have been covering for himself too, right. He surely would have gotten in trouble for losing the Princess.”

“Hardly sounds like his fault. She keeps ditching him.”

“But he’s supposed to be the chosen Hero!”

“Sure, but she is much more capable than you or anyone else seems to credit her for.” I said. “What about a cherry bomb?”

“Can you get off cherries? There’s more to a woman than her name.”

“Maybe I’ll show her my research notes-”

“NO.”

We bickered so much that I hadn’t even noticed that the beta slate- newly incorporated with highly untested teleportation- I carried on my belt was long missing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "I wish you were a stranger; I could disengage. Say that we agree and then never change; soften a bit until we all just get along."


	7. Urbosa

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Zelda sneaks off to Gerudo Town for a heart to heart with Urbosa.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Associated with Memory #6: Urbosa's Hand
> 
> Mood-setting song: "Beautiful Disaster" by Jon McLaughlin
> 
> "She's not a drama queen. She doesn't want to feel this way... Only seventeen, but tired."

I’ve been so busy preparing myself as Champion of the Gerudo that I haven’t had any time to spare a visit to the castle. I hadn’t actually seen Zelda since she’d mournfully claimed the Hero as her own personal knight. So, I blame myself in part for her random appearance in the middle of the night. I was relieved she hadn’t traveled alone on foot or even by horse, but the technology she’d used was equally as dangerous, given how untested it was.

“You could have written a letter.” I’d said after I’d been notified that the Princess of Hyrule entered our city’s limits. She’d put my guards in quite a frenzy with her unexpected visit. Many of the younger ones had developed crushes on her.

“I had to see you as soon as possible. I had to…” She sniffled and I could tell she was not far from tears, but she bit them back as she’d done many times before. I feared she had much practice. She clutched the Sheikah slate in her hands so tightly I thought she might break it in two. “I wanted to talk about my mother.”

That surprised me when perhaps it shouldn’t have. Of course, I felt this was a conversation better suited away from prying eyes and ears. The Princess was the heir to the throne and the descendant of the Goddess, yes, but she was still a young girl who deserved privacy. This was no political matter, anyway.

So, I took her to Vah Naboris, figuring that would lift her spirits even if only a little bit. Her eyes did glitter in the moonlight at the sight of the beast. It was the tallest of its kind and certainly the most unusual looking. She did not lose the troubled wrinkle in between her eyebrows.

We sat on Naboris’ head as though it were a balcony. To make it more comfortable, I’d spread out pillows and a blanket, as we’d done when she was very little and if her Father let her sleep over in Gerudo Town. I smiled fondly at those memories, feeling for the first time in my life… Maternal.

I’d never desired motherhood, feeling that I was needed elsewhere such as the battlefield or to lead my people. I supported the women of my community that chose motherhood, but it was never my path. Still, the time I spent with Zelda when she was small gave me a taste of it. Maybe, just maybe… It wouldn’t have been so bad after all. Of course, that meant choosing a voe and I had no such desires to do that. I had plenty of love to give and experiences to share with vai and voe, alike. I did not want to narrow it down to one.

“I take it your dashing knight doesn’t know you’re here.” I said after we were finally settled.

She shook her head. She didn’t have to be ashamed with me and she knew it. Even still, she was her own biggest critic.

“No matter. You’re safe here.” I said with ease, even if the King and Link might find it a very big matter later on. However, right now, I wanted to know what was troubling her mind so much so that she felt the need to travel all the way across Hyrule to talk.

“You were quite close with her.” She said and placed the slate to her side. “My Mother.”

“She was my best friend in life.”

“Did she…” She trailed off. “Did she always appear blessed by the Goddess?”

“No, not always. Though most would say there was something very heavenly about her presence long before she discovered her powers.”

“No one says such things of me.” She chuckled bitterly.

“You don’t know how people look at you when you turn away. None of us do.”

“I do.” She straightened. “I can feel their stares burning through my head.”

“Their stares… Or anyone in particular’s?” I gave her a knowing stare and she turned hers back to the horizon sharply. I’d clearly stricken a chord that I would surely get to later. For now… The girl wanted to discuss her mother and I would never grow tired of speaking of a friend… Especially one so dear.

 “No, she didn’t get her powers until around the time you were born. Maybe you instilled it in her.”

“I doubt it.” She said, “I can’t even instill it in myself.”

“Little Bird, you know I care for you so, but if you continue to talk so poorly of yourself, I’m going to have to knock you off this edge.” I teased.

She wasn’t having it, “I’m merely stating facts.”

“I don’t know much about this power that’s supposed to grow inside of you, but if there’s one thing I do know, it’s that losing all hope is not going to help one bit.”

“It’s hard _not_ to lose hope when nobody has hope in me! I- I can’t be this pillar of divine strength that my Father wants me to be. If it were as simple as snapping my fingers and believing in myself, I would have done that long ago. I’ve tried everything I can think of save for these Springs that my Father seems to fixate on. If they don’t work…”

“You’ll try again.” I said firmly. “Zelda, you are much stronger than you know. Even if you don’t see it, you’re brave and you’ve got nerves of steel. You’ve given yourself over on the tenfold for Hyrule and anyone that does not see that can talk to me. I’ll give them a shocking revelation.”

That made her lips quirk just a little bit.

“I know everyone reflects on your mother as this perfect incarnate, but she was not. She wasn’t looking for her powers. I don’t think she even cared if they came in. All she cared about was her people and doing by right them. She would not want you to be thinking so harshly of yourself either. I don’t think she even knew of love until she had you.”

She thought about that carefully. “I wish she was still here. I think everyone does.”

“I know I do.” I placed a lock of hair behind her ear. “But not because you are any less than what she was. I would just love to talk to her again so I could know how to do right by you.”

“You?” She looked at me quizzically. “You’re the closest thing I have to a parent or friend.”

That stung my heart. For she did have a Father, but she didn’t consider him a true parent- someone that you could talk to when you were hurting or ask for advice. She did not see him in the light that someone should see their parents. She is not to blame for that, though.

“You deserved more than what you have, Little Bird. I cannot give you what you need to find this power and that pains me.”

“I’d never expect you to.” She smiled softly. “I just… There’s no one else I can really talk to about this.”

“Isn’t there?” I quirked an eyebrow at her.

“Um, no? I mean, Impa and Purah are very dear to me, but Purah is a bit too logistical and eccentric… Always going at a mile a minute. And Impa is my Father’s advisor. She’d never betray my trust, but I never want to feel like I’m putting her at any sort of imposition. And I did almost vent to Robbie and Lawrence, the court poet, but thought better of it in the end.”

“I’m not talking about them! You are never alone. Literally.”

She scowled. “You don’t mean…”

“I _do_ mean. There’s no one on this earth that understands your plight better than that boy.”

“Oh, Urbosa, you can’t be serious! He doesn’t struggle at all with our destiny. He walks around without a single care in the world, wielding the sword he plucked from the forest like it’s absolutely nothing!”

Without her noticing, I secured the Sheikah slate. We were having this conversation. It was very overdue. I love the girl like she is my own, but somebody needs to gently set her straight.

“That is what you see. What do you think he sees when he looks at you?”

A horrified look crossed her features. “After today, especially, someone awful. Someone selfish, naïve, brash, hopeless, careless, weak-”

“-I mean it about the edge.” I said. “None of those things are what you truly are.”

“I told him to go fuck himself, Urbosa! Stop laughing! And then I ditched him again… Tonight! And I know it’s wrong to be cruel to the person that’s supposed to be my partner in saving Hyrule, but Goddess… Every time I look at him and I see his stupid blank face and his stupid blue eyes that seem to bore into my soul without even trying… I grow hot and angry…”

“You grow hot, huh?” I did my best to hold back a smirk.

“Yes! And every girl in all of Hyrule practically throws themselves at him, which is infuriating, especially since he doesn’t seem to pay any mind to it, just like anything else. Even Mipha clearly has designs for him, which is strange because she doesn’t really know him. No one does! He doesn’t even speak.”

“Very astute of you to notice.”

“It’s impossible not to notice. He can defeat a hoard of monsters with a pot lid and a stick, just in case I needed any further indication that I am useless and he can do everything. And the girls just “ooh” and “awe” until they’re red in the face. And he just keeps looking at me with those stupid eyes that I can feel burning into my skull as a reminder that he surely resents me.”

“And why’s that?”

“Because I hate me!” She cried. “I hate myself so much for not being able to be what he has already accomplished. And because of that, he’s no more than my glorified babysitter, which is humiliating for the both of us. I drag him around left and right and he just looks at me like he’s waiting for me to grow the hell up and I don’t know how!”

“Not only are all of the things you hate about yourself untrue, but it is unfair to project your self-loathing onto him.” I said. “You do not know how he feels if you don’t give him a chance.”

She wrinkled her brow and I reached out to smooth my finger over the crease, trying to limit her stress.

“How am I to know if he never speaks?”

“Have you given him a proper chance beyond prodding him for answers on your terms?”

She opened her mouth to object before sullenly shaking her head. “No.”

“Do you think there’s a reason he doesn’t speak?”

I knew what she was about to say so I cut her off with a hand over her mouth. “Little Bird, I mean this with all of the love in my heart, but not everything in this world is about you.”

She made an indignant noise, but I continued. “You said it yourself. No one really knows him. Not just yourself, but anyone. Would you agree with the statement that there is more to a person than their shortcomings?”

She thought it over before nodding against my hand.

“Then perhaps, it’s time you gave both of you a break. It is the two of you against the world, so to speak, and it would be a lot less lonely if you liked the person you were next to.”

I took a long pause before smirking. “Beyond your obvious attraction towards him, that is.”

She moved away from my hand, face flushed and mouth gaping like a trout that was stuck on the shore. “Wha- No- I- Certainly not!”

“It’s useless to argue.” I laughed. “I teach the class of seduction.”

Her voice climbed octaves I did not know possible, but it fueled my laughter even further as she indignantly protested my claims. “I have never- he’s- infuriating with his low voice that he rarely uses and his nonchalance. He works out constantly! Not caring who’s watching or who can see that he’s shirtless. He smells like grass and leather and… And he eats with his hands when he’s not at the dinner table… And his hair is always a mess and… And…”

“You’re blushing.”

“I am not! It’s very hot here!”

Quite the contrary. The Gerudo desert reaches peak chills at night and yet the Princess did not even appear to be affected by any of it.

“Right, right, please go on. I think you’re turning yourself on just thinking of him.”

She spluttered, “Turning myself… What?”

Oh, this sweet girl. I knew she understood the clinical logistics of reproduction and the process, because that scientist explained it all to her. It appeared it was time for me to give her an updated lesson plan. I made a mental note to gift her with a helpful book.

“So, it doesn’t bother you when you see the other girls pawing after him?”

She flared. “Just because they’re so obvious! And as if he doesn’t notice…”

“What about Mipha? She’s been friends with Link for years. That does not bother you?”

“A Zora and a Hylian?” She rationalized. “It’s very impractical. She would outlive him by centuries and reproduction…”

“Would be impossible, but the act involved would not be.”

Her ears tinged pink. Yes, I needed to get her that book.

“That’s… Not imperative to the conversation.”

“Isn’t it?”

She squirmed in her seat.

“It’s okay to have something for yourself.” I said. “Your mother wasn’t a virgin when she met your father.”

“Oh _Goddess_ , Urbosa!” She exclaimed.

“What? She had a fling with this Sheikah boy from Kakariko. It was quite steamy for a while there, but she ended up leaving him for your father, of course. They used to spend days in bed-”

“-Am I being punished?”

I laughed. “No, you’re not. I just want you to know that you can talk to me about these things. You’re growing up and it’s perfectly normal that you let yourself feel good. It could be helpful in the end. If that means burying yourself in your research every so often… Have at it. If it means bedding a handsome knight…”

“You’re insufferable.” She massaged her temples.

“I can’t blame you, though. You picked a very handsome voe, I’ll tell you that.”

“I didn’t _pick_ anyone.”

“Everyone goes through it, you know. Some vai pick other vai. Some voe pick other voe and sometimes, vai and voe pick each other. Sometimes, there’s many vais and-”

“-I get it.” She raised a hand to cut in. “I don’t have romantic feelings towards Link.”

Not yet. Primal feelings? Definitely. It was not my place to tell her how she felt. She must discover that on her own and embrace those feelings with anything else. It was just critical she pry away the ugly feelings towards him so she could make room for the good. I prayed to the Goddesses above that she be allowed some time to relish in those good feelings, even if nothing entirely romantic comes from it.

“You must admit he is prettier than most women though.” I lamented and she chuckled, just a little bit.

“He might even pass the guards here.” She agreed.

We fell into a comfortable silence. I thought about how I was going to sneak that book on her person and she seemed to retreat into her own mind. After a long while, she spoke up with that same melancholy from earlier. Whatever fire within her was temporarily tampered by her own thoughts.

“I fear it’s already too late.” She looked at me with tear-filled eyes. “With Link. With my powers. With Everyone.”

I stroked her hair and pulled her into an embrace where her head lie on my shoulder. “It’s never too late.”

Time seemed to pass a lot quicker after that and soon, she cried herself into a still sleep. It wasn’t long before I heard soft footsteps behind me.

“Ah, well… You certainly got here fast.” I said to the Hero.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "She would change everything, everything, just ask her... Caught in the in-between a beautiful disaster. She just needs someone to take her home"


	8. Yiga Coward

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Unbeknownst to Link or Zelda, there was a fourth Yiga that day near the Kara Kara Bazaar.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Associated with Memory #7: Blades of Yiga
> 
> Mood-setting song: "I'll Fight" by Daughtry 
> 
> "Don't wanna see you cry, even when it rains. And I hope you don't forget this, you were born for better things."

“Speak your piece, Alzecu.” Master Kelon, leader of the Yiga Clan, bellowed at me.

I knelt, mostly out of shame and partially from the very fear that coursed through my veins. It had been my very first day. I’d just joined up with my much braver brother, Zale, yesterday. We were sworn in due to the immediate necessity with the impending rise of Grand Master Ganon. Master Kelon and his officers believed that we were closer than ever to reaching nirvana when Ganon would come and destroy the opposing Sheikah.

“W-we were out on patrol, as we were supposed to be…” I was, of course, referring to our perimeter searches of the Gerudo in their tranquil town. As men, we had to take up disguises to get past the city limits. Why they never had female Yiga search the town was a mystery to me. Perhaps, in an effort to defile the very alcove that once banished Ganon in his human form.

I was more of a grunt- there to take notes on security weaknesses. Being there made me uneasy. The Gerudo women were notorious for being the toughest in all of Hyrule and were constantly displaying their strength with training exercises in public.

“Spit it out!” Kelon grew tired of my hesitance and she ordered one of the guards to throttle me over the head with the back of a staff. I crumpled to the ground like paper, but didn’t dare whimper. I was dangerously close to being executed for treason and needed to display some semblance of strength.

“I saw Princess Zelda.” I gasped against the stone floor. What I wouldn’t give for a banana right about now.

Kelon began to peel one for herself and lifted her mask so she could eat it. She narrowed her dark eyes at me. It was unusual for an inferior like myself to catch glimpse at the identity of _the_ Master of the Yiga Clan, but she was so casual in her ministrations that I tried not to overthink the implications.

So… I continued.

_She wasn’t wearing Gerudo garbs, which led us to believe that she wasn’t planning on visiting the Gerudo at all. She was known all across Hyrule to be rash in her decisions. In her hands, she held some kind of mechanism that glowed at her touch. We never did get close enough to see what it was or what it did, but it kind of resembled Sheikah technology._

_Still, she didn’t seem to have her divine power, as noted by my brother, Zale. She walked beside the Gerudo Champion, herself, which was absolutely infuriating, as we would have scooped her up right then and there if we were not surrounded by such strong women in public._

_“Where is Link this morning?” She asked. “I wanted to talk with him.”_

_“Sand Seal-surfing.” Urbosa smiled. “He figured you would likely enjoy a little space this morning. He just made sure I keep you within the limits of the city. He’s very efficient, that one. Handy, too.”_

_There was a knowing smile on Urbosa’s face and whatever it was she was implying, the Princess did not care for it._

_Even her knight was not with her! This news literally could not have been greater to our ears. If that blasted knight was on her back, surely we would have been toast. We did not dare report back, because we didn’t want to miss our chance. Ganon’s return was to be sooner rather than later and wouldn’t he have been eternally grateful to the Yiga if we took out the Princess for him? That would eliminate the Royal Family altogether as well as Hylia’s bloodline. The Yiga would no longer be outcasts, but heroes._

_That was how the others saw it. I admit, I cannot seem to look at anything but the problems in a plan. I don’t see how great it would be if we succeeded, but how terrible it would be if we failed. In this case, I was obviously right, but I wonder if it was my prediction fulfilled or if it was due to my inability to take a leap of faith._

_I’d be a liar to say I wanted to make the attempt at all. The odds were still slight that we could even get the Princess out of the city and reveal ourselves to who we truly were._

_Zale, Marcus, and Kito swore they had plans and I was determined not to seem cowardly for once in my damn life, even if our deception could have been perceived as such._

_We needed to ensure that Lady Urbosa was not around to deter us in our efforts, but that was proving to be of great difficulty. She and the Princess were close, you see, unlike she and her knight, who the Princess has been observed to have hated. We actually theorized that the whole reason she was there was to escape him._

_If only we’d known last night. Grabbing her at night would have been much easier._

_Marcus, the most daring of our bunch, decided to take some initiative in distracting Urbosa long enough for Princess Zelda to be absconded. We were pretty convincing Gerudo guards and the Princess had this naïve kindness about her that we were determined to take advantage of. We just wanted to do right by our clan… But our ambitions…Their ambitions… Got the better of them._

_He managed to stage an attack. He even grasped a maiden in a chokehold to portray the idea that he was taking a hostage. He removed his Gerudo costume and showed himself to be a true Yiga. Everyone naturally went wild and began in pursuit of him. The crowd shuffled in our favor, sufficiently separating Urbosa from the Princess! We approached her, still dressed in our Gerudo guard clothing._

_“Princess, this way. Your knight is right outside the gates.” Kito said in his best impression of a woman’s voice. I would have bought it had I been the one on the other end of the conversation._

_She looked hesitant to leave, glancing back in horror at the screams and in the direction when she’d lost Urbosa._

_“If we don’t get you out of here, Master Ganon will rise and you will be of no help to Hyrule if gutted.” Zale said._

_She relented and we gently led her out of the city. I was relieved to be in position behind her, because I was sweating buckets and it was not just due to the Gerudo sun. My brother shot me an annoyed looked from the corner of his eye. He knew I was afraid and never understood my fears. If bravery were doled out at birth, he was given the full supply._

_I felt that with the Hero so nearby, it was unsafe. I hissed at them that it was too dangerous, even with Marcus being very convincing and quick. When we passed the gates, the Hero was not surfing on seals, though. He was nowhere to be seen. He likely was already sorting through the crowd of hysteria and looking for his Princess. We had to move fast._

_“Where is he?” She asked aloud._

_“The Bazaar.” Zale thought quickly._

_And if I’m honest, I didn’t want to kill the Princess. I’ve never killed anything in my whole life! I didn’t like her or anything her elitist familial ties stood for and I would not weep if I’d heard of her death through the rumor mill, but doing such an act myself? She had such kindness in her eyes when we spoke to her, unlike the amalgamation of corruption I’d imagined. She didn’t even look like she was a descendent of the Goddess! I’d feared we grabbed the wrong girl._

_I would have found her too beautiful to talk to if I’d bumped into her on the side of the road and didn’t know who she was._

_Princess Zelda halted and turned towards us with careful eyes. We were currently in the way for her to consider going back inside the city. The Guards were inside helping with the chaos and she was nearly trapped._

_Everything seemed to play out in slow motion. She looked right into my soul and I could not move. I had no courage and no strength to continue on. It felt as though she was coaxing my very heart not to take the step it was hesitant to make. I felt very heavy and for a moment, I saw some of myself in her._

_Someone that could not achieve what was expected of them, someone that had to rely on the strengths of others… Someone that felt like a failure on all fronts. And I looked back. I looked back at her with the same level of insecurity and did not find renewed strength in my cause. Perhaps it’s wrong to feel this way, but it adds clarity to what happened next. I was just so scared and turned around… Anyone in my position would have been confused._

_“You said… Master Ganon.” She narrowed her eyes at us and I knew it was I that gave her away with the evident fear in my stare, because she broke out in a sprint across the desert sands. Kito and Zale hardly hesitated and went straight after her, stripping themselves of their costumes and displaying their red uniforms instead. They were much easier to run in._

_I stood like a dummy in place. My heart pounded in my chest and I dared it to calm down. I was still in my disguise when Marcus finally caught up to me, breathing heavily._

_“Where are they?” He asked._

_“I… They… The Princess…” I pointed in the direction they ran, like a petrified idiot and he shook his head at me before running after them._

_That was the last time I’d seen them alive for when the Hero swiftly leapt off the tops of the Gerudo wall, in toe of Marcus, I knew they were in for it. He had such an unexplainable calmness to him that resonated true strength- a strength that would treasonous to admire for he protected the very thing we sought to destroy. In that moment, I knew I would never be like the Hero. I’d never be strong enough to fling myself into the throws of battle for the one I loved._

_I was still dressed as a Gerudo, but the Princess knew who I was so I’d remained in the shadows of the Bazaar when I finally gathered the courage to see the bloodbath that was all that remained of my brother and my friends. My stomach lurched at the sight and I buried away the feelings I harbored. I would grieve later._

_The Princess was on the ground and held the Hero’s hand in hers._

_“I’m so sorry!” She kissed his knuckles, which I just noticed were cut and bleeding from his scuffle with the Yiga._

_“Princess-” He tried to cut in, but she was relentless in her apology._

_“I was just looking for you, I swear. I wasn’t trying to… I know it’s hard to believe because all I’ve done is run from you, but…”_

_“It’s okay.” He said, voice softer than the desert breeze._

_And they stared at each other for an impossibly long time. I could not explain why, but I felt the current shift between the two of them. No longer did she appear annoyed at the suggestion of her Hero, but looked completely entranced by him altogether. It was as if she saw him in a new light._

_“And despite everything you still came for me.” She said in an awe that did not sound like the voice of someone who held any malice in her heart. Her eyes were wide and her cheeks were pink as she regarded her Hero. I could not seem to stop staring at them. At first, I thought it was of anguish over my brother’s death, but then I recognized the fear and sense of duty in my chest and knew I had to follow them to see how this played out._

“Wait, so you followed them?” Kelon cut in.

“Er- yes, I did.”

“And you didn’t kill them?”

“It was just me! Link murdered three much more proficient Yiga than me. I felt as though I was better suited to gather intel rather than ignite bloodshed.”

She threw the banana peel to the floor and it was quickly retrieved by one of her loyal servants. “And what did you uncover?”

_Remaining in my Gerudo costume would have been sensible, but I decided to change my appearance even further and put on regular civilian Hylian clothing. My face had been partially covered when the Princess spoke to me so all I could hope was that was enough. I was trained as a Sheikah long ago and could hide in the shadows better than anyone in my age bracket. A fitting talent, if you’d asked me._

_They let Urbosa know that she was safe and sound, but then soon got to moving back towards the castle. They traveled in silence for the most part. The Hero walked behind the Princess, but she kept turning back to look at him as if she had much to say but couldn’t find the words. She looked very sorry and the Hero did not seem keen on hearing an apology._

_That night, by the campfire, the Princess finally spoke._

_“You should hate me, you know.” She said softly. “You’d be entitled to such feelings. I almost got us killed today.”_

_It didn’t appear the Hero remotely struggled in his parry against my fellow clansmen, but the Princess could have met an ugly fate had she not gotten a decent head start._

_I don’t think either of us thought the Hero was going to speak. He was not a known conversationalist, after all. I do pay attention to the gossip mongers. It’s a decent way to waste time around town. Kakariko was always buzzing with knowledge about the royals and their friends._

_However, in a voice that was warmer than the glow of the hearth, he spoke. “I could never hate you, Princess.”_

_She chewed on her lip, that insecurity that I’d identified with earlier brimming to the surface. “You’re allowed to, you know.”_

_He caught her stare. “Do you want me to?”_

_“No… It’s just…” She sighed, “As Zelda, not as the Goddess-incarnate or the Princess or your partner in defeating Ganon… No titles or labels… Just me, the person.”_

_“I don’t hate you.” He said. “At all.”_

_Without asking for any more clarity, the Princess nodded her head and lingered on his gaze for a moment too long. Then, she averted her eyes to the fire in contemplation, a strange ease falling over her. I yearned for that ease. I wondered if she felt at home when she was around him. I’d never felt at home anywhere._

_“I don’t hate you either.” She said finally. “And I won’t run from you anymore.”_

_“It would make my job less stressful.”_

_She smiled ruefully. “I doubt my father is ever going to let me out of the castle again after this stunt. There will be nowhere to run to.”_

_“He seemed worried.”_

_She released a breath. “For Hyrule.”_

_After another moment of considered silence, “Link?”_

_He looked to her, caution in his eyes and dare I say hope?_

_“Do you think there were any Heroes and Princesses that disliked one another?”_

_He shrugged._

_“Yes, I suppose we’ll never know. You’d think with how the Hero’s spirit and Hylia were connected that this would not be the case. Of course, mortal influence is a strong component.”_

_He hummed in response and kept the fire going._

_She yawned, “There were so many though. It’s certainly possible. You never hear of it in the stories or the songs. Or love. Do you think the others ever fell in love?”_

_He stilled and didn’t answer her._

_The Hero looked like he wanted to say more, but that he couldn’t quite disagree. Out here in the open wild, he was able to be more of his true self. It was plain to see that he was much more comfortable out in the open than he was in Gerudo Town. That’s even excluding Marcus’ staged attack._

_The Princess wanted someone to choose her first, to think of her, to be considered a person. It never dawned on me before that she was more than what had been handed down to her through the ages. I didn’t even know this girl and here I was involved in a plot to bring her undoing. It seemed cruel and unfair. The ends didn’t quite justify the means to me._

_“Yes…” The Hero said into the open air when he believed she was asleep. She did not stir or move, so it was tough to tell. I swore a smile crossed her lips._

_Any traces of revenge dwindled from my mind. This did not mean anything good for Ganon, right? These two not getting along was positively remarkable and meant for a quicker and less successful Calamity! Now, what was happening before my eyes? Were the fabled enemies becoming friends? Well, the Hero claimed to never hold any ill-will towards his Princess, but she was also coming around to him._

_I fell asleep that night, staring into the navy expanse of sky above me and wondered what all of this could mean. It dawned on me that I am truly alone in this world now that our brother was gone. The Calamity would eat up a coward like me for breakfast. Somewhere, he was looking at me and scowling at my weakness. He was seeing me, a mere few yards away from the Hero and Princess, and doing nothing but trying to sleep. I was sparing them and myself and for what? What did I have to lose?_

_Did I even want this to be my life at all? Or was this Zale’s dream born of anguish at being set aside by the hierarchy of Hyrule? What did I want? Not to kill anyone or maim anyone. No, maybe I wasn’t a coward. I just wanted to let these two live and what was wrong with that?_

_Nothing, to them, for I’m certain the Hero saw me and did nothing. He did not consider me a threat._

“And neither do we.” Kelon tossed another banana peel and rose to her feet to walk before me. She knelt, which felt out of place, but I forced my eyes to remain trained on hers, no matter what it meant.

“Do you know what our lord, Ganon represents?”

“Power.”

“Yes, power.” She said. “And there is no room for weakness in power. At first, I pitied you for losing your brother. Then, you spoke of how little you did to prevent his death. Then, I considered sparing you if you could provide some decent intel, but what have you given me? The Princess and her knight are friends now? And so what? Will friendship be enough to circumvent the raw and uninhibited strength of a demonic spirit that has been charging for thousands of years?”

She rose to her feet and ran a hand alone her blade in reverence.

“Now, you speak of not only sympathizing with the face of our opposition, but you say you never wanted any of this. When only yesterday, your brother and you swore an oath that this was _all_ you would ever want. Who are you today that you weren’t yesterday? And how is it that the lesser of your bloodline is standing before me right now?”

I did not have anything else to say to her. How could I properly explain? Yesterday I led a life for my brother and myself. We were hurt. Our parents were dead and my life was meaningless up until that point. The Sheikah around us lacked ambition and maybe I saw too much of myself in their ways… In how satisfied they were to remain in the corner, unnoticed. When Zale was around, though, he convinced me of our need to revolt. He pushed me into it and I’d gladly accepted. Any life where he and I were fighting for each other seemed right.

The moment I donned this red and black, I no longer fought for us. I fought for a band of strangers. Some of which, I did not care for.

“Alzecu, speak. For Ganon’s sake show at least some pride.” She poked me with the end of her staff.

“The Princess of Hyrule is not my enemy.” I said at last. “You are.”

And with the swift movement of a blade and the sound of my body hitting the stone, the deed was done.

So, this is what it meant to be brave.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "But if you ever fall down straight to the bottom and you can't get back where you started. Any place any time, you gotta know for you I'll fight."


	9. Beedle (I)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Beedle (III) grew to be an accomplished traveling salesman that reached all of a Calamity-infested Hyrule. His grandfather? Not quite as accomplished at his age.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Associated with Memory #8: A Premonition
> 
> Mood-setting song: “Brand New Day” by Forty Foot Echo
> 
> "We said we'd take little time for both of us to see... And wonder what it'd be like to carry on."

For some, rock bottom is losing their job. This, I could understand, because I’d lost my job as a doctor earlier today. For some, it’s heartbreak from a lost love. Indeed, I could see that. I am going through that as well. Then, for some, rock bottom is when you lose a best friend to top it all off. I did not lose my best friend. I knew exactly where he was and it was currently on top of my wife in the shop we all work.

I was supposed to be _off_ today, but I left my wallet at work and had to fetch it only to see the two of them fornicating in the break room. They did not even notice me.

I thought we had a happy life! I thought I had it all. Instead, I cannot help but replay every interaction we ever had and scan it for any traces of stolen looks or touches, any sign that I should have saw this coming. They do have a lot in common. Nancy always had ambitions that stretched beyond me and Fabian has the connections to make those dreams happen. She wanted to be a performer while he wanted to be a director. In a way, I suppose they were already well on their way to being drama queens. They already had their first scandal!

Me? I just wanted to stay put my whole life. I had everything I needed. Well, I thought I did, anyway. One quick series of mistakes washed all of that away. 

At first, I honestly thought about murdering them both on the spot. The impulse thankfully only lasted for a fraction of a second before dying in the dry air of Castletown. I was no killer! I found it impossible to sneak an extra free sample at the market let alone take someone’s life.

The man in the mountains though? _He_ was definitely a killer. At least, he was a murderer of the monster variety, which I could not be the least bit displeased over.

I didn’t even know why I was where I was. I saw white after running from the shop and just went running in one direction. My legs are long and can stand a lot of travel, so it seems, because I didn’t even notice hiking a mountain. The air was getting thicker and I was dangerously close to reaching Goron City, where I was not dressed for the occasion. Of course, I had the ingredients to whip up a quick elixir if need be, but that wouldn’t be enough to maintain me.

Besides, while the boy was clearly only interested in slaying monster, I saw how much he enjoyed the dance of battle and the gratification of the confrontation. His female companion stood off to the side under cover, but looked frightened and amazed.

I, too, was utterly befuddled when the boy took out a Lynel with little to no stress in the matter. The excitement faded from his stance and he plopped to the ground in a sitting position. He finally looked like a human teenager in that form. He was considerably unscathed after the onslaught, save for a gash on his forehead. The girl noticed this instantly and ran to his side with haste.

“Link, you’re hurt!”

He mumbled something in acknowledgement that I could not hear. For someone strong with a sword, he did not seem strong with words. That was like me in a way. I had big thoughts but little execution on the matters that roved through my head.

“No, it is _not_ fine. Your head is bleeding, which I can confirm, is one of the last places you want to be injured.”

We sold a lot of medicinal products at our shop, so I did derive some apothecary knowledge. She was right. The cranium was one of the least protected portions on the human body and one of the most critical for survival.

This time the girl was quiet in speech while she inspected his wound.

“I’m not going to start wearing a helmet.” He said.

“Why? Are you afraid it’ll ruin your hair?” She retorted.

He blanched at that, unsure what to say in response. It didn’t look like he was afraid or getting any bit of mess on him judging by the monster guts that stained his clothing. He ought to throw that blue tunic in the garbage unless they’ve got big bucks to treat that. People who are scavenging through these parts are rarely rich, anyway.

They didn’t talk much after that so I considered being on my way, thankful for the brief distraction from my own pain. It seemed she had it under control. If he was in any real danger, he would have passed out by now or bled out. Instead, he looked at her with those intense eyes. 

“That cut doesn’t look too bad, actually.” She pulled her hand back from his forehead. “You’re fine for now. But you know there’s a fine line between courage and recklessness.”

Uh, I think he held himself together quite fine. Like… He didn’t even break a sweat.

“As brave as you are, that does not make you immortal.”

Are you sure?

There was a gentleness to her scolding that anyone could tell it came from a place of love. No one knows love better than someone that’s lost it. Or never really had it. I don’t know. I’m so flustered! I had my life to sulk over and didn’t really care to see another couple engage in private acts.

However, I could not move, because I might have peed myself a little after seeing that boy annihilate that entire clan of monsters. I did not want to be next or for him to think I am a spying creep.

In a sense, I was, but purely on accident. 

“It seems that, not only is the frequency of these types of attacks on the rise, but the scale of beasts we are facing is intensifying as well. I fear that this is an omen that portends the return of Calamity Ganon.”

I never snapped my head in a direction so hard in my life. Calamity WHAT now? You don’t just go around talking about the deepest and darkness fates like that, okay? Nobody in Castletown or in any of the Hylian villages discusses the Calamity with such openness.

She got up to dust herself off. “And if that’s the case, I’m ready to expect the worst. We’ll need to make preparations as soon as possible.”

The boy stood as well and for a second, they just stared into each other’s eyes before continuing on their way.

“You know, Princess-” The boy started.

 _Princess_. Oh, holy Hylia, fate really was a true concept. Princess Zelda was here, right in front of me with her trusty Hero. My, were they beautiful. Very young looking, but still easy on the eyes. I thought about asking Princess Zelda to reign her divine power down on the adulterers of my life, but she seemed far too fair to be committing black magic. I’d actually heard a rumor she hadn’t discovered her power yet either.

Eh, no matter, she’ll get it.

She stopped and turned to him, kindness in her eyes. Link, was his name, right? Link seemed a bit nervous to speak his peace and I got it. He was in the presence of walking glory! Well, he would be, when they won. If Ganon was real. I’m not even entirely sure I believe in that crap. Or magic. Or love.

I’m getting off track.

“Princess, you don’t have to worry for me, you know.” He said quietly and looked at his shoes. “That’s my job.”

“I have been horrible to you lately, Link.” She clasped her hands in front of her. “I have been selfish, inconsiderate, and downright cruel.”

He opened his mouth to interject, though he was not quick enough.

“-I have.” She raised a hand, indicating that he should allow her to finish. “And while I cannot shake some sense into my past-self, I can vow to be better in the future. I am deeply sorry for how I’ve acted. I… I would like us to be friends… If that is at all possible. I would understand if you decline, as I’ve been a monster-”

He looked down and around to the discarded carcasses all around them and nudged a moblin head with his foot. When he looked up to meet her, a smirk teased at his lips. She was not like a monster in the slightest.

“You- ” She tried her damnedest not to laugh. “You know what I meant!”

He nodded in affirmation.

“And… Where are we landing on you forgiving me?”

“I never held any anger towards you.” He admitted. “You were stressed.”

“That somehow makes it worse.” She sighed. “It does not excuse my behavior.”

“I just… I thought I was doing a bad job. I was mad at me.”

Him? The human machine? How could he ponder inadequacy?

She took a step towards him, and I could tell she wanted to reach out to him for comfort, but she must have deemed it inappropriate, because she held back.

“You are the perfect knight and you can handle anything thrown at you.” She gestured around them. “Obviously. I am the inept one of this partnership. Not you. I never should have made you feel that way nor made your job any harder.”

He considered his words for so long, that I realized I sort of had to pee again. At this point, it was fruitless to hold it in. I already ruined my trousers, after all.

He shifted in his stance, a nervous tick, perhaps?

“I felt that way without you. It’s… It’s why I am quieter.”

The stare between them intensified so much so that I felt they might randomly combust before the Princess finally spoke, “I thought I was the only one under pressure. Hylia! I’m so sorry.”

“Please stop apologizing.”

He looked like he wanted to say much more, possibly something to assuage her negative outlook on herself? That might have been nice. Instead, he stuck out his hand in front of her.

“Friends?”

And there it was. Neither of them were alone. Unlike me.

She clasped his hand firmly without breaking eye contact. Her voice came out like a reverent whisper. “Friends.”

You’re telling me they weren’t even friends? I thought… Oh, that’s embarrassing. I suppose the rumors of the Goddess and her beloved Hero are true. I was seeing it right in front of me. Yes, they’re true until the Goddess inevitably sleeps with the Hero’s best friend in their shop in Castletown. Do the Heroes have best friends?

“Excellent.” She brightened. “So, as your friend, which is binding, by the way, I _do_ reserve the right to worry about you as tirelessly as I so wish, because it is the duty of a friend to care for their friend’s wellbeing. And please, call me Zelda, at least in informal settings.”

He gaped at her in shock, clearly at a loss for what to do next. His cheeks were very red too, which was amusing. I could not contain my laughter, unfortunately, and whatever moment they had been having was instantly broken and my fears of Link hearing me and ripping me limb from limb were about to come true.

He stilled and reached a hand out in front of Princess Zelda- or now, just Zelda to him- and unsheathed that magical sword yet again. This time, it glimmered in the fading daylight. It seemed to communicate with him and he leaped up the mountainside towards the boulder I leaned behind.

I performed the only move I knew how.

I armadilloed… HARD.

“PLEASE DON’T HURT ME I’M TOO YOUNG TO DIE I JUST WANTED TO GET AWAY FROM MY CHEATING WIFE AND HAVE A NICE DAY IN THE MOUNTAINS BUT THEN YOU MURDERED ALL OF THOSE MONSTERS AND I GOT SCARED AND THEN IT WAS TOO LATE TO POP OUT AND AND AND…”

“We’re not going to hurt you!” Princess Zelda’s sweet voice spoke above me. Concern was knitted on her face and in her green eyes.

I’ll admit, power or not, she really did resemble a Goddess up-close. Then again, I was spiraling down my nervous breakdown like it was a ride so anyone that provided comfort might have seemed heavenly or divine.

Link- The Hero- did not seem as sold on the ‘not hurting’ me thing, so I wasn’t too ready to drop my guard entirely, but I did regard the Princess with gratefulness through my ugly tears. I tried to cross my legs to hide where I’d peed myself earlier. Only I could meet a Princess and have it be an embarrassing affair on this scale.

“What’s your name?” She asked.

“M-My name is B-B-Beedle. I… I live in C-Castletown.”

Link still stood between me and his Princess. I would have normally commended such determination if I didn’t already know what he was capable of doing with that sword. He could slice me into several shapes and make arts and crafts out of my organs if he wanted to.

Princess Zelda still tried to calm me down, though. She didn’t kneel close or touch me, but that was likely because her Knight would not allow it. She was the heir to the entirety of Hyrule, but he was in charge of her safety.

“You don’t have to be afraid. Link is only a threat to anyone who means to do me any harm.”

I put my hands out in front of me and shook them. “Oh, I would never. Never never never never ever do such a thing. I’m harmless!”

Thank Goddess I kept the brief thought of murder to myself. That could have did me in.

In spite of my conviction, Link patted me down for any weaponry and gave my pack a thorough search.

“Sorry about this,” Princess Zelda shrugged. “He’s very good at his job.”

She was already on track to being a very supportive friend, it seemed. 

When the knight approved of what he found and didn’t find, he nodded in assent at the Princess that the situation was cleared per him. She smiled in appreciation before sitting down on the ground across from me. She was so… real. She sat with her legs crisscross-applesauce like any normal girl would. She didn’t wear a regal dress or jewelry. Her traveling top did signify that she was from Castletown, but otherwise her boots and leggings gave no indication of class or race.

“I’m very sorry to hear about your wife.” She said.

I sat up against the boulder behind me and pulled my legs to my stomach. Link might have seen my accident, but that didn’t mean she had to.

“Thank you, your majesty. I apologize for being so cavalier, but matters of the heart aren’t simple.”

“No, I would imagine not.” She said. “I’ve never been in love before.”

“Lucky you. Once you lose it, life feels… Pointless.”

Her eyes widened and exchanged a brief glance with Link. “Now, now, I can understand being upset, but any woman who betrays your love and trust like that is _not_ worth performing any hasty and dangerous decisions you might later regret.”

I sat up straight. “Wait… Do you… Do you think I’m here to…”

Princess Zelda’s eyes flickered to the very high and jagged ridge just to our left. Right, I was alone, crying, and frantic in a high and dangerous altitude after discovering my wife and best friend’s sins. Plus, I just said my life was over. Of course they thought I was hopeless enough to kill myself.

Well, this was humiliating, but I had no other explanation for being up here. If I had died on accident up here, everyone would have said I was depressed over discovering Nancy and Fabian in the horizontal tango. Interesting. Nope, I was just upset and in need of a new purpose in life. I could never do that to my family.

“I just wish they could understand my pain. They don’t even know I know.”

“Maybe you should talk with them?”

“Talking doesn’t always work, right?” I asked Link, who just shrugged in response.

“If it will offer you closure and allow you to move on with your life… Which I can assure you has much meaning.”

“It’s not that easy… I lost everything!”

“Surely, there is something you always wanted to do that you couldn’t before.”

I thought about that. “Well, I always wanted to travel. You can’t do that with a shop.”

Link nodded passively, which was annoying, since I could not tell if he was approving or disproving my greatest desires while I was in such a fragile state.

“Oh! What if you took your shop on the go?” She suggested.

“What do you mean?” I furrowed my brow.

“You could trek all across Hyrule and collects goods and services and sell them to travelers. You would be able to travel and make your living without having to settle down to one spot. The wild could be your office.”

That… Could work. I already carried a backpack that was far too large for me. By the way she said it, it almost sounded like it was a dream close to the Princess’ heart. I doubt it, because she’s rich. Why would she ever want to be roaming around the natural terrain of Hyrule? She’d get dirty!

Me, though… I didn’t mind being dirty. Plus, there were stables which offered cheap lodging and free baths. I wouldn’t even need to have a place to live if I maintained a proper traveling schedule.

“I wouldn’t have to see Nancy or Fabian ever again. I could even start selling things I want to sell.”

“Such as?”

“Anything.” I shrugged. “Any legal substance would be for profit at my traveling store.”

Princess Zelda’s smile was truly a delight amongst angels. I could kiss her if that wouldn’t be creepy and if she wasn’t a good ten years my junior. I’m not a murderer and I’m really not a pervert.

“Ingredients.” Link suggested.

“Sure!” My eyes flickered to his forehead again. “I actually believe I have bandages on me right now, if you’d like...?”

He was about to decline, but the Princess graciously accepted and carefully applied the bandage to his forehead.

“You’re going to make a great salesman, Beedle.” She smiled. “I can already tell your future will be bright.”

“That means a lot coming from you, Princess.” I smiled weakly.

She squeezed my hand. “Things will get better, I promise. Please, just hang in there. See where this goes.”

Something in her eyes told me she was used to saying this to herself on occasion. I still felt it best to not ignore my sovereign.

“Yes ma’am.” I said.

“Let us know when it opens.” She said. “Who knows? Perhaps, you’ll have something we’ll need.”

I never did get to thank her. For it was because of them, I was far away when everything went to shit.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "And I, I think I'll change my ways. So all your words get noticed... Tomorrow's a brand new day."


	10. Purah

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Weeks after the incident with the Yiga Clan, Purah sees much more of both Link and Zelda and starts a secret side experiment of her own.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Associated with Memory #9: Silent Princess
> 
> Mood-setting song: "Enchanted" by Taylor Swift
> 
> "This night is sparkling, don't you let it go. I'm wonder struck, blushing all the way home. I'll spend forever wondering if you knew... I was enchanted to meet you."

**Entry #1: PRELIMINARY REPORT**

It’s been 3 weeks since Princess Zelda almost lost her life to the Yiga Clan. I’m not as heavily involved with the politics or secrets of the Royal family the way my sister is, but I’m in the know. Between the cooks and the maids and Robbie’s inability to keep himself _out of_ the cooks or the maids, I can’t seem to hear enough about our rambunctious little scholar.

I like the girl. She’s got moxie and frankly, I can’t blame her for not wanting to be stuffed inside praying all day. I’m not much for faith or religion. I’m a woman of science and can’t see how spending all of your time on your knees is going to spew white light onto all of Hyrule.

That sounded wrong.

I knew I should have typed this out or written with a pencil. How am I ever going to get this published one day? Eh, rewrites and edits are a thing I suppose. I always want things to be perfect on the first go.

Anyway, I’ve started a new research journal today, because work on the Guardians have been slow and my newest function for the slate has been sending me back to the drawing boards. Seriously, _why_ is creating ice so hard? It’s just frozen water. Agh! You get the point.

I was just reading a study on the human condition, because unlike Robbie, I do occasionally find myself fascinated with living and breathing people beyond sleeping with them. Oh, you should see how he eyes that lady at the ale house. What was her name? Orange? Grape?

Cherry. It’s Cherry. He can’t seem to get enough of her.

So, I’m studying the potent effects of love and seeing if I can generate a potion. Not for my own use. I’m a mostly ethical scientist at heart. I’ll sell it.

… To a responsible person blah blah blah. This will surely get cut in the published version so whatever.

I’ve encouraged Robbie to bring Cherry around more so I could meet her and vet her to see if she’s worthy of him. I’m not sure if Robbie is worthy of one of the Guardians outside and they’re mostly hollow shells collecting dust. I just need an excuse to study them and observe in a contained environment the symptoms and features of burgeoning love. That’s what people want in a bottle, right? I doubt they want the symptoms of mid-life crisis or begrudging ‘sure, but make it quick’ stages of love that I’ve seen all too frequently. Mostly in Hylians. Fools. I am intrigued about the prospects of mutual attraction though.

This might be tough since Robbie is my secret test dummy. Who else? Symin? He’s got the romantic appeal of a donut. Impa? She’s already deeply entrenched in a relationship. That’s not fair. I need… Unpredictability. I need this to be a fair experiment.

According to my research, there are a few key pieces of evidence to look out for:

  * Participants A & B cannot seem to stop smiling and looking at each other.
  * Participants both talk about each other a lot.
  * Participant A is defensive of participant B and likewise.
  * The desire to touch one another is magnetic.
  * Both parties get flustered around the other.
  * Participants are willing to try new things.
  * Participants clearly find each other sexually appealing.



 

**Entry #2: OBSERVATION LOG- DAY 1**

After much prodding from Symin and myself, Robbie finally agreed to inviting Cherry over for dinner that evening. Oh, I had this thing all ready to go when the lofty girl backed out at the last moment. She’s a bartender and was notified that she had to pick up a shift that evening. I have a feeling she took one look at the roving tin cans with glowing eyes around our lab and hit the ground running.

I cannot lie. I was PISSED.

My experiment cannot function without a muse, after all and I’d made a bunch of food that was about to go to waste. Robbie had no interest in seeing me or Symin since he saw us every day. He’s ugly to look at anyway, I’m fine with that. So, I invited Zelda to take a break from her boring dedications and to bring her trusty knight along. Not that we had much of an option. The king would have my head if I encouraged Zelda give the boy the slip again. I wanted her to test out the slate in the wild anyway and it was a good excuse to see her. I figured it was going to be awkward, being that she expressed all signs of hating him, but it was a very pleasant feast.

We talked, dined, smiled, and tested out the slate. Some ate more than others. I’m obviously talking about Link. Seriously, I considered writing a study on metabolisms after watching him inhale whatever lay in front of him. So much so, that I’ve concocted a digestion elixir in an attempt to mimic his metabolism. I don’t usually notice such things, but he’s an excellent example of the prime male form, too. I would know, Link took his shirt off per my request so I could feel for any distribution of fat after his meal. All hard muscle, ladies and gents. Woohoo.

And THIS, my dear readers, is where it gets good, because I was not the only one who noticed this.

This journal is not my metabolism journal. That one would be very gross and centered around digestion. No, this is my love-study and I was a fool to even consider weighing my entire experiment on that schmuck, Robbie. When life gives you lemons, study them, because the cherries ran somewhere else away from your watchful eye.

I did not expect Link and Zelda to be my lemons, because while much kinder to one another, there was nothing even remotely inspiring me to write in this journal. They were polite and clearly mending fences. Zelda was still trying to forgive herself for how she treated him and Link was still trying to understand this Princess of his.

 _Buuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuut_ , she totally checked him out when he was shirtless.

Link flipped his shirt and tunic off without much worry behind those calm blue eyes, but when he laid eyes on the Princess, I saw his neck go red. It wasn’t as red as her face was as she realized she was caught roving her eyes over his form before quickly turning away. I feel like such a ditz for writing this, but in the name of science I rejoice! Not only do I have a younger, much more appealing experimental duo at my little hands, but an even earlier stage of love.

 

**Entry #3: OBSERVATION LOG- DAY 9**

It has been a little over a week since the dinner and King Rhoam has been offsite to personally try and wage a treaty with another land in hopes of gaining aid for a potential Calamity. Good luck, dude. Nobody wants any piece of the curses Hyrule has under its boot.

But anyway, this means that Zelda has had much more freedom to do as she wanted. She still spent every morning and evening in prayer, because she’s much more dedicated than I ever could be. Still, her days were spent happily engulfed in whatever research I could give her. I gifted her the slate long ago to inspire her even further into the line of studies. I think Impa had hoped Zelda would want to learn warrior ways from her, but NOPE! I won that round, sister.

Zelda is a natural researcher and very serious about her craft. The Knight has grown curious too. I can see it in his eyes every time he watches her speak. He no longer appears to be merely listening for words, but paying attention to the sounds of her voice and how she feels about what she’s saying.

Determined to gain more for my own research, I sent them looking for flowers today. I asked the court poet if there was anything more romantic than flowers.

That silver-tongued man had the gall to say “the birds and the bees”.

For as intrigued as I am in this experiment, I’m not here to write a smut piece. Perhaps I should consider brewing Zelda a contraceptive elixir in the event that things do spice up between them.

Zelda and Link returned to the lab, arms full of various flowers that will help with the slate’s compilation.

“How was it out there?” I asked, but I could tell from Zelda’s bright smile that it had been a productive day. I just needed to know if it was going to be productive for me too.

“Link licked a frog!” She laughed through it like she couldn’t contain the secret anymore, even if she barely tried at all. Judging by the intensity of her glee, it was she who made him do it. Oh, I knew I saw her reading up on stamina-increasing catalysts.

The Knight in question looked rather sheepish by her side, confirming he had, in fact, licked a frog.

“Why? You’re supposed to cook them to increase stamina.”

He _tried_ to glare at Zelda, but failed miserably, because now her hands covered her mouth and she laughed a little harder. Link, for a nanosecond that anyone else would not notice, softened.

I’ll have to ask that stuffy court poet if licking frogs for a lady is deemed romantic enough for him. I have a feeling I’ll know what his answer is.

 

**Entry #4: OBSERVATION LOG- DAY 13**

Nothing too life-changing on the romance front for the past couple of days. At least not between Link and Zelda. You can’t always rush these things, though. I did meet Cherry _finally_ and she is very pretty. A little bit of a dip, but honestly, that is Robbie’s type. It’s not unpleasant to see him appear happy.

He better not screw it up.

Link and Zelda met Cherry too and the only reason I’m writing this entry down is because Cherry asked if Zelda was Link’s girlfriend. She’d never seen the Princess of Hyrule before, I guess, but the real prize was how red their faces turned. Sure, I, the scientist in question couldn’t rush things, but outsiders like Cherry could urge some results more often. If she keeps this up, I may actually like her.

 

**Entry #5: OBSERVATION LOG- DAY 22**

They’re sitting closer this week than they did the week before. No longer does a table sit between them if they could help it. They’re still not touching, but it’s right on the edge of that. Like, if I whipped out a handy dandy ruler, there would be about a centimeter between their legs and shoulders. It’s carefully crafted, but natural. They’re not yet aware that this is the start of… The feels.

They just got back from Goron City again and appeared much… Chummier. I overheard Zelda mentioning to Impa that she felt she had a better understanding of Link, but she did not go into greater detail than that. I long to be a fly on the wall sometimes…

Writing that down for further possibilities to explore… Right next to stilling the aging process!

“Link is quite the cook, you know. I thought Daruk was going to eat your hand when you were serving him.” Zelda smiled.

“Rock sirloin is not very hard to make. It’s rock.” Link said, but it was clear he appreciated the praise. Hero or not, he’s a man! Men love to have their egos stroked by pretty women.

“He said it was the best he’d ever had.”

“Daruk is kind.”

“As are you.” She parried with the quirk of a brow. “You cooked for the entire village and myself.”

“Well, I wasn’t going to make you eat that.” He smirked. “You’d choke.”

That went on for a little while and I couldn’t help but notice that they were completely oblivious to the fact that there were several other parties present. Robbie was of course in his own world with Cherry, trying to figure out what the next smooth line should be (if he had any), but Symin seemed a bit irked at being ignored.

I grinned.

 

**Entry #6: OBSERVATION LOG- DAY 30**

I think the test subjects are starting to catch on to the little game they’re playing. You see, it rained pretty hard today while Robbie was trying to show off his newly trained Guardian and the thing short-circuited. Zelda jumped at the electricity (we all did- it was horrifying), and landed squarely in Link’s arms, which tightened around her waist before taking notice of their positioning. They exchanged a brief look of realization and leaped back, red as hearty radishes.

For the rest of the evening they kept stealing glances at one another and then looking away just as quickly.

 

**Entry #7: OBSERVATION LOG- DAY 42**

Zelda made her way to the Spring of Courage to dedicate herself to the Goddess even more. I don’t really understand the logic of it all; how swimming in a cold pool in a long white dress is going to help matters any better. I heard she passed out from exhaustion in the middle of the water and Link had to fish her out himself. When she got back, she got her monthly bleed and it was a doozy, according to the laundry maids and she was stuck in bed.

I’m not sure who I pity more in that circumstance.

So, when Link arrived at my lab, alone, I was a little disappointed at first, but also confused. Sure, he was interested in the projects Zelda took him along for, but he was the brawn while she was the brain. That was how it worked.

“What can I do for you, Linky-do?” I asked. I’m a fan of trying out nicknames.

He looked awkwardly at Symin, who was probably staring like a freak, and then sighed, “I’m sure you heard Zelda isn’t feeling well.”

“I’m familiar with the ailment.”

I waited for him to cringe as most men did when discussing the wonderful ride that is menstruation, but he did not. He did not flinch in the slightest. Not even in Link-ese, which is what I’ve come to label his silent and stoic body language.

“I was wondering if you knew of anything that could help.”

“The cooks have likely brewed her elixirs.” I answered, but in my head I was writing out this entry. OH! He was deeply protective of her and invested in her overall human condition, BEYOND the worries of a knight, might I add. How many knights in the royal guard were worried about Princess Zelda’s period? Very few, I’d imagine.

“Does the slate have a heating component?”

No, but I’m mad I didn’t think of it.

“It does not, but I do have something. It is an instant heating pad. It does not require fire and the temperature can be set by the user. I was developing it for you, actually, and how sore I’d imagine you can get after battle. Your father worries for you.”

He did not react to that either, just nodded. “I’ll take this to Zelda right away.”

 _Zelda_. No formalities anymore. Interesting. Today, has been a success.

 

**Entry #8: OBSERVATION LOG- DAY 45**

Link’s father is concerned that Link is developing feelings for the Princess, because apparently he confides in her. Symin was being a snoop (unsurprisingly) and caught the end of a conversation between them. It was heated in nature from the sounds of it, if I believed either of those men so quick to lose their tempers. Instead, it was probably the calmest disagreement of all time.

Trusting Symin is a fishy concept here. For one thing, he doesn’t hear very well ever since an echolocation experiment went bad, but I think I’ve translated him decently:

_Arn: Your duty comes first. Always._

_Link: I know this._

_Arn: Do you? You seem to have gotten more comfortable around her._

_Link: What are you really asking me?_

_Arn: I understand the appeal of temptation. But we are knights and are to remain strong. She is the Princess. She is not there to support you. It is meant to be the other way around._

_Link: I’ve done nothing wrong._

Sidenote: HOW is Arn reading all of this from seeing them just walk by him every once in a while? Is there some keycode to the language of Link that I am just not grasping here? Are his placid glances and words actually love letters to him? I am very confused.

_Arn: And I hope you keep it that way. The kingdom depends on you. You have a duty to uphold and have ever since you plucked that sword on your back from the Korok forest. You do not get to live the life of mortals. You must be willing to lay down your life if necessary. It cannot depend on her for-_

_Link: -do **not** speak of her that way. She is my charge._

_Arn: And that’s all?_

_Link: I would lay down my life for her without question._

_Arn: Good. Don’t go filling your head with illusions that a Princess will ever love you. Otherwise, you’re just like the lovesick poet. I don’t want you to get hurt. The Royals only care for their own kind._

I’m not writing a romance novel, here, so the whole ‘star-crossed love’ thing could really get in the way of my work. I had no idea Arn was so involved in his son’s life. It seems both of them have controlling parents.

 

**Entry #9: OBSERVATION LOG- DAY 54**

Things were a little awkward for a bit after that. Link was clearly in between a rock and a hard place. I couldn’t blame the guy. The world was on his shoulders too and now his father doesn’t want him talking to the one person that gets it. I suggested to Zelda that she accompany Robbie and I on an archeological dig. Robbie brought Cherry and we accidentally forgot Symin at home. If anyone is too distracted by love to perform proper work, it’s Robbie, not Link.

However, the boy was very quiet. Zelda filled up any silence with her own theories regarding magnesis and how to improve its quality. He watched her intently, but didn’t speak up or add his own input.

I really thought my study was kaput until we were practicing the runes in a ditch and the ground lifted beneath Zelda, causing her fall. Link caught her, of course, but her hand scraped along the stray metal.

“Sorry!” Robbie waved from afar. “I should really watch where I point this thing.”

The scathing look Link gave him would scare a courageous man out of his wits, let alone Robbie.

I pretended to busy myself with yet another empty shell of a Guardian, which I was, because this is what I was hired to do, but in case you didn’t know, I’m brilliant. I am capable of focusing on more than one thing at a time.

Link carefully inspected Zelda’s hand where they sat on the edge of the ditch, legs still a pesky centimeter apart, but his thumb gently stroked the top of her hand while he performed his search. 

“It’s just a scratch.” She offered, but he was insistent. “It didn’t even draw blood.”

Still no answer and he pulled a small vial from his pack and dabbed it gently on her cut. She winced just a tad, because it probably had alcohol in it, but he continued running his thumb on her hand.

“Would it make you feel better if you took the Master Sword to that piece of metal a few times?” She asked, trying to maintain levity.

After officially satisfied with his work, he placed her hand down like it was something fragile and not physically attached to her wrist.

“It might.” Oh, there was a slight growl to his voice that was most interesting. What was _that_ all about, Linky?

Zelda considered him for a moment, before squeezing his hand and forcing him to look at her. “Hey, I’m okay. Everything is good. You’re still the best knight ever. A scrape on the hand is not going to change that.”    

“Y-You mean that?” He seemed surprised, like this man hadn’t saved her life a countless number of times already. Wow, boy. You are obtuse.

“Yes!” She smiled, “And anyone who doubts your dedication to me or Hyrule is an absolute fool. Now that I’m beginning to know what lies beneath the surface, I feel that doubly.”

“Any chance you can pass that message along?”

“Is it your Father again?”

 _AGAIN?!_ They’ve had this conversation before! He’s told her before. Oh, sweet Hylia, it’s not over. It’s not even close!

“Well, you know my piece on the matter.” She sighed, “I understand it’s easier to shut off, but you’re going to overload if you don’t let _someone_ in.”

He nodded. “I agree.”

 

**Entry #10: OBSERVATION LOG- DAY 69**

“Purah, what do you know about baking?” Zelda asked one morning. She was alone in her study, her knight gone off to spar in the courtyard down below. I had brought her some ancient cores to look at in between prayers, because I knew how stuffy it could get for her up here in the tower.

“Very little, why?”

“I’ve asked around and Link’s birthday is coming up.” She blushed and tried to remain focused on her book, but she was looking right through it. “I know he loves to bake and cook, but I’ve never done it. He deserves a lot more than anything I can produce, but I want to do something nice for him…”

“I’ll talk to the cooks about whipping up a cake.” I beamed.

“Really? I mean, I’d actually like to make it myself. From the heart and all that.”

“How? He’s always around.”

“Well, I’ll tell him it’s for someone else. I have time tomorrow afternoon in between the various meetings and services I must commit to. I know it seems frivolous to spend my time this way, but-”

“-He’ll love it!”

Fuck you, Arn. Zelda _obviously_ cares beyond her ‘own kind’.

** UPDATE: **

ALERT ALERT ALERT!

HE ATE FROM HER HAND!

SHE FED HIM THE CAKE AND HE ATE FROM HER HAND. HER FINGERS WERE IN HIS MOUTH.

Her breath hitched and her eyes widened and they just stood there for a moment, suspended in time. I’m brewing that contraceptive elixir I don’t care. I was there for the look he gave her and the best way I could describe it was actually described by Cherry of all people (who ended up being very useful in baking the cake by the way):

_“Smoldering.”_

 

**Entry #11: OBSERVATION LOG- DAY 80**

Do you want to know what the sexiest sport of all time is according to my research? Archery. Zelda is supposed to know archery to fulfil her duties. There’s some fabled bow and arrow that the Goddess-blood is supposed to wield against Ganon. So, of course, Rhoam required Link to teach Zelda.

We are all watching and cheering her on to be good sports. Robbie keeps groping at Cherry though, so Impa and I sat between them. There are youths around you heathens!

They have an apple on a stick for her to try and strike. Link does it without even having to look at the apple. He keeps his entire focus on Zelda and still hits the spot. Zelda is mesmerized by him and I’m surprised a bit of drool doesn’t drip down her mouth.

Link sets her up and yeah, it gets hot fast. There’s a lot of shoulder touching required of them and I swear he utilizes this to their advantage. Her breathing looks heavy, but he steadies her, confusing this for nervousness about _archery_. Link is the kind of guy that doesn’t know he’s hot and it’s very infuriating for all parties involved. Myself, the bystander, included.

He sets Zelda’s arms ever so delicately and has a gentle hand on her waist to steady her. She almost takes out a deer when he placed it there at first, but Link is so patient and makes a quip about her not needing to hunt for dinner being a Princess.

“I’m just thinking of that second meal you surely always need.” She joked.

His face is so close to her ear so he can see where she’s aiming, so her breath falters a bit. He seems to finally realize their proximity too, although he shows very subtle indications of excitement. He swallows a little too heavily, but it doesn’t distract her. She finally hits the apple head on and when she does, we all clap, and she throws her arms around her Knight in a hug.

He smiles very wide.

 

**Entry #12: OBSERVATION LOG- DAY 95**

They touch. All. Of. The. Time. Now.

No one else really notices save for me, because I’m a researcher and they are my experiment. I’m watching them like a hawk beneath my thick-framed glasses. Curse my fading eyes. I’m in my late twenties and you’d think I was over a hundred years old.

Not that they notice, since they can only seem to look at each other. The touches are innocuous enough too and mostly from Zelda’s side. Now Link, yes, he’s much more subtle in nature since most don’t know how to read him and Zelda is more outwardly friendly. However, his eyes follow her. I don’t just mean in that “I’m making sure you don’t die” fashion that he tries to sell to his father.

No, his eyes follow her every move with such unmatched interest. She is the most enthralling thing he’d ever witnessed. When she brightens, he brightens, when she’s disappointed, he sags a bit too. He is like a golden retriever who is completely enchanted by the Princess’ every move. Sometimes, it almost turns into a primal stare- something meant for a different study and not my rated T for Teen variation.

Zelda is touchy. When talking, she’ll rest a hand on his forearm, warm and firm. She’s poked him in the sides after he’s eaten a hearty meal. She even casually patted his cheek after he came dangerously close to pouting when she tossed a grape at him and it bounced right off his nose.

They still don’t touch when they sit, really, but it’s clear that they want to. Her knee will occasionally bump into his before making its way back to her side. The same went for his arm or anything really. The tension is actually starting to kill me.

I read somewhere that you can tell a pair wants to kiss, because they stare at each other’s mouths a lot. I can confirm this, because Robbie and Cherry obnoxiously snog in the most inconvenient places (on MY work desk) and they do look at each other’s mouths first. It’s an odd magnetic thing.

I had to do something unethical to get this knowledge. I used the slate to spy on them in a natural, unwatched environment. They were sitting on a bench near the Goddess statue, just talking. Zelda was rubbing her knees from praying. Link’s hands were on his own knees, the one closest to her twitched as if he wanted to touch her as well.

“I’m just not sure if this will ever work.” She gestured to the statue. “I understand my father’s reservations of relying entirely on technology, but there has to be some common ground, right?”

“You know I agree with you.” Link said softly.

“Yes, I appreciate your input. You’ve made things much easier for me. Just… being you.”

He nodded. “You take my mind off of things with your experiments and…”

“And?”

“I like all of it.” He smiled a little.

“I’m glad you do.” She smiled back, bright and with twinkling eyes. “You’re an excellent help.”

“Especially when you need someone to test out the bomb runes or get shocked by lightning rods.”

She poked his nose. “You know I think you’re wickedly smart. And hey, I never _asked_ you to hold the lightning rod. I think you just had a propensity for…”

Her finger slipped from his nose to his mouth and her voice died in her throat a little bit. “… Sparks.”

She breathed a little uneasily and he didn’t dare move, but held her intense gaze.

She leaned and then he leaned, and looking _very_ intently at her mouth, might I add.

But, sadly, this moment was thrown out before it could really begin.

“ZELDA!” Luckily, Rhoam made himself known before rounding a corner, because the two were able to completely jump off the bench before he could catch a view of them. Link was on his knee in proper knight fashion and Zelda looked perplexed at what she could have done wrong this time.

You know, except almost totally making a move on her appointed knight.

 

**Entry #13: CONCLUDING STATEMENTS**

I’m sorry to report that I think I’m going to have to end this journal right there. Right when it got good, I know. If it helps, I think I have what I need to begin constructing a love potion and I did manage to convince Zelda to start the elixir I’d given her. I said it was to help menstruation pain in the future with the side effect of temporarily preventing pregnancy. She was so upset about yesterday’s turn of events that she consented without evening blushing at the mention of pregnancy.

Let me break it down for you:

Rhoam + Arn = mad that their children haven’t saved Hyrule yet.

Both blame Zelda, because duh, she doesn’t have power yet. Arn doesn’t phrase it like that, but Rhoam sure as hell does. Arn fears that Link is susceptible to Zelda’s womanly wiles (which……… yeah, he is) and that it’s going to affect how he saves Hyrule or whatever. Again, he didn’t say this to Rhoam, but Rhoam is easy to manipulate.

Word on the cobblestone is that Arn told the king that Link needs a break and that he seems too tense. Somebody else mentioned Mipha, the Zora Princess, who Link used to be romantically attached to, and Rhoam, ever the guy’s guy, agreed to allow Link a week at the Zora domain.

And he was _not_ discrete.

“Link, my boy, you’ve done such good by my Zelda and the kingdom that I wish to reward you. Rise, son.”

Link rose, because what else was he going to do? Twiddle his thumbs?

“It’s been brought to my attention that you could use a little time to blow off some steam, come back to us a little… Fresher in your step; lighten your load; clear headed.-” 

I am not making this up. The King of Hyrule just said all of these euphemisms basically telling Link to go get laid.

“-And I know you’ve got an extensive history with the lovely Zora Princess, Mipha.” Wink wink.

Oh, I really wish I wasn’t such a dedicated researcher at times. Even I have feelings, big ones. My love for the work, my annoyance at Symin, my disgust of Robbie, my confusion at why Cherry loves Robbie, and I care a great deal for Zelda! And I’ve begun to care a great deal for Link too.

Zelda’s face was frozen in nature like an ice-princess and didn’t move. She was half in disbelief at what her father was saying and the other half completely heartbroken at the thought that Link was literally being sent back into the arms of another woman. And she hadn’t even gotten to kiss him yet!

Cruel fates.

Link didn’t express whether he cared at all for this but stayed usually silent, refusing to quite meet anyone’s eyes.

“So, go on, have fun, spend some time with…” And King Rhoam eyed Zelda carefully. “A worthy Princess.”

So, I went to visit Zelda fairly shortly after Link left. They hadn’t been given the chance to have parting words. After all, requesting as such would have been awkward or weird to anyone else but the woman obsessively taking notes on them. Arn nodded at Link, who nodded back, but who knew what kind of conversation that meant in their weird little quiet language?

Lawrence, the court poet, and I brought some books up to her study, considering she’d be spending the majority of the week there without Link around to escort her places.

“What’s wrong my lady?” Lawrence, you cad, acting like you weren’t positively elated that Link was out of the picture for a week. “Shall I play thee a song?”

“No thanks.” She smiled softly. “I hope Link is okay… On his journey. He did go alone and I’ve researched a Lynel roaming that area frequently.”

Lawrence deflated, but sighed. “Sir Link wields the Master Sword. He’ll manage fine. Besides, Lady Mipha has her healing abilities mastered to a simple science.”

“Yeah, I guess she does. I suppose they’d be a good fit what with how accelerated they both are. She’s beautiful, talented, wise, and kind. And Link is…” It feels wrong to check jealousy off my list, but we’re here and I’m still writing so it only seems fitting.

She massaged her head. “I’m having a sinus headache.”

Lawrence leapt to his feet. “I’ll get some medicine!”

I placed a hand on her shoulder. “For what it’s worth, you are also a very worthy Princess.”

Zelda looked very uncertain. She twisted at her hands in her lap. “Do you… Do you think he loves her?”

“I don’t have any evidence to support either way.”

She nodded. “The love songs never sing of research though, do they?”

They will when my book gets published. I’ll have to do some major editing and change some names to “Participant A” and “Participant B”. I am still stumbling over a title, but I have a feeling, it’ll sell well.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "Please don't be in love with someone else... Please don't have somebody waiting on you."


	11. Mipha

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As Mipha comes to terms with the likelihood of Vah Ruta’s necessity to face Calamity Ganon, she comes to the conclusion that she must seize life while she has the chance.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Associated with memory #10: Mipha's Touch
> 
> Mood-setting song: "Somewhere Only We Know" by Keane
> 
> "I came across a fallen tree. I felt the branches of it looking at me... Is this the place we used to love? Is this the place that I've been dreaming of?"

I was bonding with Ruta when the news was delivered to me. Many fail to understand that a bond is only strong if it is maintained. It is one thing to earn the trust of a creature as mysterious as a Divine Beast, but the true testament is preserving the trust and the friendship. I am not sure if my fellow Champions see their beasts as friends, but I feel as though Ruta and I have connected in ways I’ve failed to even grasp some of my own people.

Does that make me a failure? I cannot say, but it is difficult to mind when I feel the peace and harmony flowing through the tip of Ruta’s trunk as we sit and gaze over the entire domain.

I cannot imagine taking him into battle.

I do not fear war or fighting for what I believe in; and I _do_ believe in Princess Zelda’s cause, but it does not seem fair to involve these creatures. I understand the word of mouth spread of the Calamity. I understand the history. We, Zora, live so much longer than Hylians and understand that if anything were to happen, we would outlive so many friends.

In many ways, that’s a fate worse than death.

I cannot lay back and let it happen, of course, but I just wish there were more preventative measures to take place. I don’t blame the Royal Family for their interest in these Divine Beasts and I am beyond honored that Zelda would choose me as Champion.

The Zora have always been esteemed warriors and I, myself, can wield a spear unlike any other my age. I’m the fastest swimmer for now. I think my baby brother is going to give me a swim for my rupees. I connected immediately with Ruta and the desire for peace he felt flowing through him. He is not a weapon to be used, but a cognitive being to work alongside.

I did my best at convincing him of the Hylian struggle and the rumored return of the Calamity after thousands of years of peace. In return, Ruta opened my eyes on the fragility of life. I confessed my methods of healing and how I come to be so successful in my ministrations.

_“And why have you not followed your heart?”_

_“I’m not sure the timing is the best.” I’d answered honestly._

_“You’re afraid.”_

_“That too.”_

_Vah Ruta laughed, though no one else could tell it was supposed to be a laugh from down below._

_“Lady Mipha, to unlock life’s greatest resources, you must live it to your fullest without the constraints of destiny getting in the way.”_

I thought very hard on that, but I’ve never been the kind of person to get stuck in my own head like that. I’ve always been an empathetic and focused on the aura around me. I go with my gut and I believe it is why I was crowned Champion of the Zora over the more brutish fellows around me. No one was bitter though. I am incredibly fortunate to have the support of my Father and my entire realm.

I’m not always certain what I did to deserve such loyalty, but I am thankful for their praise nonetheless. I wear the light blue sash that Zelda bestowed upon me with pride. My first responsibility, of course, is to my own kingdom. That is where my heart is true, but I am certain I will give anything in the efforts against Ganon. I just hope it does not come to that.

Just as I was deep in thought, my younger brother, Sidon, happily bounded down the length of Ruta’s back and towards me.

“Sidon!” I chastised, but there was no strength in my words. “I told you not to climb on Ruta without my permission. He is not a playground.”

My little brother is beloved by Ruta as well, though, so my friend does not mind.

 _“He is just a child.”_ _I felt him say._

Sidon at least had the decency of seeming sorry for a moment and slowed his pace (but only by a fraction) before hopping up and down in front of wear I sit. Oh, he may be the second-born, but he would make a fine leader one day. I could tell, even as small as he is now, that he has the compassion and the people skills to thrive beyond being a warrior. In fact, I wanted anything for him but to fight our father’s wars. Children fight for adults and it never settled well over me.

“Okay,” I laughed softly before pulling him to my lap. “What is it?”

He showed me a letter that clearly had my name on it. I did not have time to process that he had gone ahead and opened my mail, because I saw who the return address was scribed as on the upper corner of the envelope.

_Link._

“Link is coming!” He chirped before even allowing my own eyes to skim over the letter myself.

_“Mipha,_

_King Rhoam has sent me on leave for the week to the Zora Domain to check on Ruta’s status. I thought it might be rude to simply drop in without warning. I hope my presence will not act as an intrusion. I should arrive in two day’s time on horseback; longer if that electric Lynel gives me any trouble._

_Best,_

_Link”_

I held the letter to my heart for a moment and rested a hand on Ruta’s surface.

_“Did you know this was going to happen?” I asked._

_“You’re a swimmer. You understand how currents work. They pull and push in which ever direction they feel is right. All we can do is go along with it.”_

Such wise words from such a silent creature. In many ways, not unlike Link.

“I can’t believe I’ll finally get to meet him.” Breathed Sidon in excitement. “You speak of him so often, I feel as though I already know him.”

I squeezed my little brother. “Oh, he is even more amazing than words can express.”

I knew then, deep in my heart, that I must swim with the current and prepare- tirelessly, exactly the message I wanted to send for Link’s arrival.

 

* * *

 

Link arrived in three days covered in dirt, scratches, and stained blood, but with a triumphant gaze in his eyes that I knew all too well from the summers he would spend in the Zora domain. We never had a single monster attack with Link around and this was even before he’d been recruited to the Royal Guard.

Looking at him with my own eyes for the first time in months felt like going underwater for the first time. I noticed everything about him in a mere moment. Every change, every feeling, every movement. I was always quite close to him, but as our paths grew similar, my feelings had progressed.

Now, our paths were so close that we couldn’t be more far apart. Until now.

I do not know what the king’s true reasoning for sending Link was, because typically Zelda was the one checking up on the divine beasts, but he was alone and he was alive.

And his Champion’s tunic did bring out the loveliest shade of his eyes. It matched almost identically and I cannot blame Zelda for her choice of the color, even if accidental.

We all greeted him as we would one of our own returning from battle. My Father was always especially elated to see Link. Link knelt before him out of courtesy, despite her servitude of another king. Still, it pleased my Father, who commanded he rise so he could take a good look at him.

“Link, my boy, you have made us all proud. You know you always have a place to call home here among the Zora.”

The very thought of that made me flush and I had a difficult time keeping my head straight under Link’s calm gaze up at us.

He nodded, never one for words and everyone chuckled at this.

“Some things do not change.” Father smiled. “Tonight, we feast in your honor. It is not every day the Zora Domain has not one, but two Champions in its presence.”

His smile shifted to me and I grinned right back.

“For now, though, Mipha shall tend to your wounds. I’m sure you two have much to catch up on since your last time seeing each other.”

That was my cue, but it took me a moment to get over the butterflies that tickled my stomach when just looking at Link from afar. Touching him and healing him would take a lot of focus and willpower. After all, his markings looked bad even if he carried himself like they didn’t.

Still, we were able to slip into the comfortable silence we knew so well all those summers ago as I ran my hands over his arm.

I’d had a speech planned out and it was to be romantic and full of memories of before our duties pulled us apart. I had embedded sentiments that made me weep just to think about and poured my very heart and soul into the trappings of his armor that I knew would fit him so well.

And yet, he seemed so far away from me still.

I could not say where he was in his mind, but his eyes were straight ahead, in the direction of the castle. I suppose the life of a bodyguard never fully rests. I could not be frustrated with his obvious distraction. He still seemed in awe of my healing abilities, which made my heart flutter when under his clear gaze. It was hard to have the Hero’s attention and I had him completely under mine, perched on top of Vah Ruta.

“Maybe we could spend some time together.” I proposed at the end, hopeful. It was an innocuous request and not nearly what I wanted to say.

He looked back at me, kindness in his eyes, but quiet as ever before choosing his words carefully. I had seen him wild before on the battlefield and while playing in the open water, but I wondered what an uninhibited Link looked like emotionally. I respect his professionalism and I dare say I love him for his quiet calm.

“I have missed this place.” He said finally.

It was tough not to! The Zora Domain is one of the most pleasant living experiences in all of Hyrule. Well, if you like to swim. Link was an even better swimmer than some Zora here. He had a natural physique about him that made my cheeks grow hot.

“It has missed you in return.” I said. “I have missed you.”

He looked up at me and for a moment, I saw emotion. Getting these moments with him felt like a medal of honor these days. He is strong and mighty. He is the perfect knight and would lead the Zora into greatness, even if we could not have him for a long while.

“I have always valued our friendship.” He said.

My heart was bounding in my chest. Ceremonies were important and so was tradition. I know Link would never break the confines of propriety; not _my_ Link, but I wanted to tell him so bad right then what my heart truly held.

It was Ruta who gave me the strength to allow reverence to take control of the impulses of the heart.

Besides, Link still did not seem to be in this moment with me. He had that look where he was unsure if danger was afoot and like he needed to be on eternal guard to protect. He looked uneasy and troubled.

“Your heart hurts. Why?” I asked and laid a hand on his.

I did not think he would answer me at first. That’s okay. I was more than patient with him and knew that beneath the surface, there was the Link I adored at the heart, waiting to be activated.

“You feel… Conflicted?”

He slid his hand out from underneath mine and rested it on his knee thoughtfully. His eyes were cast back over the horizon.

“It’s Princess Zelda, isn’t it?”

He almost snapped his neck with how quickly he turned in surprise. I almost laughed at the adorable nervous look on his face. He looked like he’d just been caught having his mind read or something. No such sorcery from me. I just knew him very well.

Still, his stare was almost scandalized, which was confusing.

“You worry for her.” I said. “She has not found her inner-power yet.”

For some reason, he sighed in relief. “No, she hasn’t.”

“There is only so much you can do, Link.” I said, “Only so much she can do. I know that when I obtained my healing abilities, it was because I allowed myself to really feel, but that’s what being an empathetic is all about. This sealing power… I do not know what it takes.”

“Neither does she. Her mother died before she could teach her.” He cared for the Princess very much by the tones of his voice. So did, I of course. Caring for Zelda was caring for Hyrule and likewise.

“In time, she will realize her own strength. It is prophesized as such.”

“I wish you could give her some of your faith.” He said.

There went my heart fluttering again. 

 

* * *

 

With all of his seriousness, he still ate like an absolute animal. We, Zora, have razor-sharp teeth and do not cut into food as fast as Link can. He always tries to be polite, but the beauty of being in the Zora Domain is that eating fast and heartily is the _way_ to eat. He does not have to use the correct silverware or silverware at all if he so pleases not to. Whoever eats the most and the quickest is revered as worthy by the rest of the table. The cooks smile and watch in adoration as we tear into their prized cultivations.

We care more about feeling here than image.

Link wins, as he always does, even against my Father (who is _not_ a tiny Zora). He wipes his face on a napkin and used silverware for his meal, unlike the rest of us, which was different. Habits are difficult to break and I’m sure being in the Royal Guard beat some tradition into his head. I’d hate for him to get into trouble back home.

Still, he flashed me a grin from across the table and I could not interpret as anything less than pure joy. He missed this. I know he did. This was his a good portion of his past surrounding him. It was happy and without war or pressure. How could he not want this for the rest of his days?

 

* * *

 

Unsurprisingly, everyone wanted to catch their time with the Hero of Hyrule. I, of course, knew Link before he was this, but even then, everyone knew he would grow into something greater. I always had to share him, which was fitting, seeing as I now am not the only Princess in his life.

It can be difficult, because the last I saw them they did not take kindly to each other. At least, Princess Zelda did not take kindly to Link. From the way he gazes back towards the direction of the castle every so often, I get the feeling that things are no longer bitter between them. He says her name a certain way. Well, for one thing, he does not call her ‘Princess’ at all when referring to her to me. That could be because he is comfortable confiding in me without barrier. However, he says her name with wonder, even when he is trying not to.

I’ve met Princess Zelda many a time and am confident that if we were allowed a greater chance and under better circumstances, we would have achieved beautiful friendship. She is much more in her head than her heart and I, the other way around. I feel as though balance is one of the most important factors of friendship and empathy.

Link, I am unsure where his dominance lays. Part of me would argue he is superior on a physical level, perhaps on instinct. It was frustrating for Princess Zelda at first, but it is good that she has seen the light of his ways.

I am glad they are friends now.

It is impossible to get him alone, though. I fear I missed my opportunity of proposal in the beginning of his stay. Every time I see him, he is alongside someone else. An elder, my father, the children. Sidon would be jealous and upset that Father sent him away on a training retreat for this week.

Watching him play with them in the shallow end was most pleasing, but I yearned to express my piece to him. This heavy weight of love was on my chest.

I glanced up at Ruta and summoned all of my confidence.

* * *

 

One evening, I approached him directly at his room. He had packed so little, always a minimalist, but it made my heart sag that he was bundling up his supplies.

“I thought you weren’t due to depart until Friday.” I said softly.

He knew I was behind him, because of course he did.

“I talked with your Father…” He trailed off and closed his eyes for a moment. What plagued his mind that I could not see? The moment was gone after a second and he faced me. “You have done a remarkable job with Ruta, Mipha.”

I placed a hand over my heart. “You inspire me so.”

He swallowed and the tension in the room was building and ready to crescendo, but there was something a little tragic about it too. I did not want my proposal of love to him to be sad. Did he not want to return? Did the Princess send for him? I could not tell, but there was pain in his eyes from where I sat.

“I meant what I said about protecting you.” I supplied.

He was unreadable. “I wish I could do the same.”

I felt a magnetic pull towards him and pulled him into a tight hug. He placed his hands respectively on my upper back and remained entirely still. Despite the thickness of the room, I was content to hear his heart beat rhythmically beneath my cheek.

“Why do you go?” I whispered against his chest.

He released a breath and the man of courage was taking all of it within him. “I cannot stay here in good conscience.”

“Will you return?”

His lack of an answer was enough of one for me. He had a duty to maintain and my heart swelled at his vigorous dedication.

“I won’t- can’t leave her.” He finally said. “I’m her knight.”

Whether he was saying this to me or himself was the true question. For the first time, I think I saw through him for a moment. He looked like he was being tugged between worlds, but his choice was clear. It seemed to have startled him a great deal.

“Hyrule is lucky to have you.”

Link did not answer that. He never acknowledged his own worth. I could only hope that the Princess does. He had a load of pressure on his shoulders and I knew then that if I asked, he would not agree to marry me. At least not now. Though he cared for me deeply from what I could tell, his loyalties belonged to Hyrule.  Still, everyone deserved to know that they were cared for.

I kissed his cheek and he did not flinch or move to make it anything more than it already was.

“You will always have my heart, even if yours belongs to this beautiful land.”

He nodded at that, confirming my suspicions. A man like Link… He was a mystery, but not all that hard to solve. He would always put his own wants and needs behind his mission. His father saw to that. I know that the King sent him to me for reasons beyond checking on Ruta. I even suspect my Father knew of these intentions and that was why he encouraged my efforts in constructing the Zora armor for him.

Even if I never see the chance of giving it to him, I hope he wears it one day. He deserves to be encased in love.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "This could be the end of everything. So why don't we go... Somewhere only we know?"


	12. Fi (Master Sword)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fi, basically an extension of Link, translates Link’s demeanor to portray what his heart and mind truly desire and think about.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Associated with Memory #11: Shelter from the Storm
> 
> Mood-setting song: "Say You Love Me" by Jessie Ware
> 
> "Cause I don't wanna fall in love... If you don't wanna try. And all that I've been thinking of, is maybe that you might. Baby it looks as though we're running out of words to say and love's floating away..."

I was quite excited to leave the Zora domain. There is a notorious electric Lynel that roams the parts and while I do not doubt my Master’s capabilities, lightning makes me beyond squeamish. I cannot be destroyed, but that does not mean I don’t feel pain. Very little hurts as lightning does, especially as cracks of lightning that course through me usually follow suit to my Master. His pain is mine.

I grew even more excited when the King granted approval of the Princess’ request to study local monster habitats in order to determine if they are a sign of the Calamity’s near-return. First, he wanted Purah and Robbie to do it, but alas, those two are quick and were already embedded in another critical investigation. The next-best choice was Princess Zelda, of course! She had her knight, my Master, to protect her if anything went astray.

As my Master’s pain is mine, his happiness is mine as well. From the seems of it, this transference goes on another step farther, as the Princess’ happiness has become a strong catalyst for my Master’s.

Everyone believes he is stoic and still, but as he grips me in his palm I can feel his pulse and by extension, his true self. While he remains his realest mortal self with the Princess, there is not a single minutia he can hide from me. I can sense the smile that he does not show when she laughs, the increased heartbeat when she waves to him from afar, the heat in his neck when she makes any move of physical contact- despite how innocuous every touch has been.

The conflict that he should not be feeling any of this at all.

His soft rejection of Mipha caused him great pain, but it goes much deeper than how he cares for her (and he does- he cares for her so). His reasoning, while on the surface, is beyond respectable and true. He cannot leave Princess Zelda. He is her knight.

But when he said it, it was not the Hero of Hyrule that answered. It was Link. This realization did not dawn on Mipha, but it seemed to awaken a current within my Master. He does not startle easily. An onslaught of monsters? Easy. Longing for the Princess of Hyrule? Petrifying.

To lust after her? Improper? Treasonous? Damning? Utterly, utterly preposterous and wrong on all fronts. My Master has enjoyed the pleasures of physical attention in the past, but never with such a… Longing. Never with…

Love?

_“Do you think any of the others ever fell in love?”_

As if the Princess’ question didn’t ring in his ears every day since she initially brought it up. Of course, they had to, right? This connection could not just be human. These could not just be mortal sins crawling through him. If anything, finding out that the Hero and Princess occasionally fell in love would be freeing for my Master.

To love her? Impossible. Well, not impossible. Look at her, listen to her, be with her… It is not hard at all. She does not see the way others look at her wistfully. She only sees the scowls and the doubt. Much of it, of course, comes from her own reflection. Her lovestruck court poet cannot seem to get enough, always trying to worm his way on her expeditions.

Her eyes are always on my Master.

He had retreated significantly since his trip to the Zora domain. This was not difficult as the Princess was wrapped up in her dedications as well as other royal negotiations. He did not visit her though. Not once in the entire week since we’ve been back. It’s ached too. He physically aches when he is not in her presence. In many ways, she is the first true source of light he’d ever had for himself. Even if it was something he could not actually have.

So for once, I am happy while my Master is trying not to be. Princess Zelda has been unusually quiet on this endeavor. Getting out of the castle walls makes her eyes brighten even when she does not realize it and her conversations with my Master offer her a great calm as well as a reddish hue to her cheeks when he says something she likes.

It is, undeniably, a very pleasant change of pace from all of the despair that anyone else is usually talking about. It feels like the acts of Hylia herself when they share a long smile or when they joke around. It is a sanctuary from the darkness.

Today, my Master trailed behind her. Not far, but far enough to set his point that there was a shift in the current. The Princess’ shoulders were slumped and her eyes did not twinkle at the silent princesses we passed along the way. The flowers, seemingly in time with her, also drooped anyway.

She held that same disappointment as she had when Master Link and I were sent off to the Zora domain to visit Princess Mipha. Surely, she was not angry with my Master for going, as it was her father’s command. It was so very obviously a means of keeping her from further exploring her interests and a knock to the confidence she was starting to build.

Master Link felt angry towards the King for that. He did everything in his power to stay still and keep his head down as he always did when King Rhoam spoke to Princess Zelda.

A raincloud arrived just far enough away from the castle where we could not make a break for it and too close to any stable or village in the area. Luckily, even whilst in an emotional conundrum, my Master is quick and he scooped Princess Zelda up onto the Royal steed and rode us through the blinding downpour and over to an alcove that warded off the worst of the rain.

When stepping down from her horse, Master Link reached to take her hand. She did not accept. She climbed down on her own and took a seat at the base of the tree that covered us and fiddled with the slate. It was not the same as it was before. She almost seemed to be reacting in response to how Master Link was acting… Or not acting? He was back to an emotionally reclusive state and this time, hardly looked at her.

It hurt. It hurt so bad and I needed him to stop it if not for his sake, but my own.

Or Princess Zelda’s.

It was ironic that in this little sanctum from the torrential storm, this usual source of happiness and light did not ignite hope. It merely felt as though it blended in with the rest of the destruction.

Master Link, unsure if sitting beside her was a proper decision, despite how close they typically sat nowadays, took to practicing. At least I was being put to use for distraction purposes. I could not stand to watch the wreckage any longer. If Master Link wanted to block out any sort of happiness from his life in the name of Hyrule, I understand. It was how he was raised to be. He does not think his growing love for the Princess is anything of positivity- just a curse that can never be true.

Maybe that is true. It is not as if King Rhoam would ever allow his only daughter to marry a low-born such as he. Hero or not, he is not royalty. He is the Hero and for as far as anyone else knows, the Hero and Princess do not, under any circumstances, share the epilogue together.

Such things were trivial in the face of Calamity, were they not?

I am not so sure. In my experience, few things are more powerful than love.

What do I know, though? I am just the weapon he thrashes at the rain in retaliation of his own frustration.

He could feel her stare though. It roams over him, consuming every angle and revering in his physicality. It was not the first time she has looked at him like this nor was it the first time he noticed. Now, though, it motivated him to be stronger and to push harder in his exercise, to get the blood moving anywhere but an embarrassing circumstance for all parties involved.

Her stare did not waver and while there was hesitance about it, she did not appear cold towards him anymore. Quite the opposite. She had promised Master Link she would never treat him in such a way ever again and it seemed she was keen on owning that promise, even if she was visibly hurting.

He thrashes harder.

The rain beats blindly against my blade that he skillfully wields with promise. Master Link’s pulse thrummed hard and he tried to steady his breathing by focusing his mindset on other prospects.

His mind, of course, kept circling anxious territory. It seemed no matter where he reached, it all came back to the crux of his dilemma. The more improper his thoughts, the more he worked.

Despite the dreariness of the mood, the Princess attempted to kickstart conversation- to be cordial.

“I see now why you would be the chosen one.”

His eyes, despite themselves, caught hers.

Her wistful smiled faded as quickly as it had been there and was replaced by a cloud of her own that seemed to haunt her.

“What if… One day you realized that you just weren’t meant to be a fighter. Yet the only thing people ever said was that you were born into a family of the royal guard, and so no matter what you thought, you had to become a knight. If that was the only thing you were ever told, I wonder then… Would you have chosen a different path?”

He did not answer, which is not unlike my Master. There is a lot that goes on within his mind’s eye. He thinks things through before he answers. I see nothing wrong with this and I’m not even sure if Princess Zelda expected him to answer. There was a lot of obvious projection in her words, but she would be curious to know what my Master envisioned when he slept. She always looks at him from the perspective of an experiment, as he is quite a study, so I know she is more than intrigued.

I see his dreams though, even if he wished I didn’t. He wished he didn’t sometimes too. Before he became the Hero of Hyrule, he dreamed of sweet aromas and quiet cottage life. He dreamed of serenity and being helpful or useful to his neighbors. He dreamed of venturing into the wild. Maybe retrieving goods for his parents.

Now, his dreams were the same, but with a critical difference. He was no longer alone in them.

The storm started to become too ambitious for either of the Heroes’ good, so the Princess advised we all go inside the opening of the tree to wait it out. Master Link nodded in agreement, though he still seemed beguiled by her question from earlier. She always surprised him, always made his heart and mind connect in a way that they never seemed to. He was not, after all, just a dummy with a sword.

“Oh, Link! You’re soaked.” She exclaimed. “You must be freezing.”

He shrugged and leaned against the tree. He did not feel cold in the slightest. Regardless, she grabbed her cloak and draped it over his shoulders. It was a complete role-reversal, but her chivalry felt completely natural. Her hand brushed against his and did not move. Instead, she stared down at their touching hands while my Master’s eyes bore into her, trying very hard to read her expression and calculate its meaning.

She looked disappointed again when he forced himself to pull away.

After a few minutes where only thunder and rain filled the void and the foot between them felt like a mile, Master Link actually spoke.

“A baker.”

“Huh?” The Princess’ brow was furrowed in justifiable confusion.

“I would be a baker. If I felt I could not be a warrior and if fate was not a factor, I would be a baker for the castle, preferably.”

A lovely smile broke across her face and it seemed the storm was no longer on anyone’s mind. “You are quite the cook!”

I feel as though from here on out, I should be translating what they _really_ mean when they such things, because while they do dance on the line of impropriety at times, it is all subtext. Subtext, might I add, that I feel in my very core as my Master tries to interpret it.

So, when Princess Zelda says: “You are quite the cook!”, she means to say, _“I am positively elated that you answered at all. Also, I love your cooking.”_

Master Link’s lips quirked, but kept his eyes trained forward. “I’m already used to the sharp objects.”

_Translation: I’m glad you like my cooking. I would make your favorite foods every day if I could._

She rolled her eyes. “You are a natural as you are at anything else.”

_Translation: You’re more than a man with a sword._

“My mother actually taught me to cook and bake.”

_Translation: I feel closer to my mom when I cook or bake._

Princess Zelda stilled, “You never mention her.”

_Translation: Are you opening up to me?_

“No, I suppose I don’t usually. She was… the best.” He finished quietly and I could feel the melancholy flow through him like a gentle current.

_Translation: I’m not used to talking about myself or my own feelings, because I’ve been trained to tamper them down. I miss my Mother every day of my life, because she was one of the few people to understand me and show me genuine affection._

“What was her name?”

“Medilia.” He answered without thinking on it. “She was a midwife way out in Hateno. Have you ever been?”

She shook her head, but her eyes were transfixed on Master Link. “I don’t believe so.”

“It’s a quiet little place with good people. She met my father after he’d been injured shortly after his recruitment to the royal guard. She baked for him until he got well.”

“And they fell in love.” The Princess said softly.

“Yeah, they did.” He answered in her same tone, surprisingly vulnerable for Master Link. “She would have preferred if I wasn’t meant to be a fighter.”

“Really?”

“She worried for me, of course.” He said. “As Mother’s do.”

That seemed to trigger Princess Zelda’s own thoughts of her mother. I did not know of her mother, but everyone basked in her glow. The land prospered up until her death. The Princess was just a girl then, but was not immune to loving her Mother dearly.

“Mine wished I didn’t have to be where I am now too.” She said. “The last thing she’d said to me was that she was sorry. It was after my nightly prayers.”

Stillness yet again filled the alcove and there was very little room for levity of jokes or happiness, but it was needed as water is necessary to put out a fire.

Luckily, the Princess was quick to snap out of her moment of reflection. “As you could probably guess, I would be a scientist.”

_Translation: I would be what I believe I can be._

“You already are a scientist.”

_Translation: I already believe in you._

Her eyes softened and it was evident how touched she was by the ease at which he said this. The grass was green, the sky was blue, and Princess Zelda was a real scientist. There was no convincing necessary for Master Link. He saw not only her potential, but her actions.

She scooted a little closer. “So, in your life as a baker. What is your specialty?”

_Translation: Tell me more about you._

He thought about it for a moment, debating whether his cakes or his pies would be of a finer representation for this imaginary world they were cultivating.

“Fruitcake.”

“I love fruitcake!” She exclaimed.

_Translation: Did you notice it was my favorite?_

“It’s underrated.”

_Translation: Yes, I noticed._

She nodded adamantly. “Let’s see… Do you live in the castle?”

_Translation: Would I still be close to you?_

He rested his arms at his sides, just a hair away from touching the Princess’ arm. He looked at her with a curiosity and honesty that he had been trying to hide. Obviously, the dam was open and he was compelled to answer earnestly. He could never lie to her. Ever. It was difficult to do so when she was gazing at him, eyes flickering to his mouth and up to his eyes again.

“I always saw myself living in a little house of my own. It wouldn’t need to be much. Just… Home.”

_Translation: I would live where expectations do not lay over my head. I would live a peaceful life._

“With… Mipha?”

_Translation: With… Mipha?_

Wait.

She actually said that.

She tried not to wear her emotions completely on her sleeve, but she did not succeed. Her luminescent green eyes took on a more vulnerable state. I cannot sense her exact feelings beyond what I could see or feel from Master Link, but it was clear she was suddenly engulfed with nervousness.

She was not upset about being unable to be outside researching (well, not entirely), or that we went to the Zora domain. She was afraid of losing Master Link. The fear in her demeanor was evident, but so was bravery and compassion. She was prepared for rejection, which meant she misinterpreted Master Link’s sudden return to stoicism as a sign that he was disinterested in her and did not know how to tell her. It had happened immediately after our return from the Zora domain.

My Master’s eyes widened and his mouth hung open just a little bit as he couldn’t tear his eyes away from hers. Sometimes, it’s easy for him to forget that he isn’t an open book. He is more of a book that is sealed together with concrete.

Princess Zelda is much more upfront with her feelings. She has been guarded this whole time as well, but she was so beguiled by Master Link that it seemed she physically could not keep her emotions beneath the surface.

She was reading his face, his breathing, his stillness… Anything, reaching for a lifeline.

_Say something, you idiot!_

I mean, Master. Say something, _Master_.

Princess Zelda tried to smile. “I see the way she looks at you. I also understand you have quite a history. It might be improper to inquire such intimate details, but I… I want you to be happy.”

_Translation: I’ve never felt this way in my entire life so my heart is cracking in two right now, but I want you to be happy, even if you’re not mine._

_I DO TOO! GODDESS DAMMIT, MASTER LINK! TELL HER YOU CARE!_

Still nothing and it was obvious that the Princess’ heart was sinking within her. Oh, this poor girl. She does not see the way he looks at her when she walks ahead nor does she see all the intricate care he goes to in finding specific guardian pieces all throughout the terrain when her father goes out. She does not see how his favorite sound is her laugh or how the tunic she made for the Champions is literally his most prized possession simply because she made it.

She sees none of it. She is too up-close.

All she sees is torment and believe me, that’s there. Master Link is caught between what he wants or more accurately, _who_ he wants and his duty. The question I have is why he cannot simply have both? What is the crime in truly wanting something?

If I could clunk him with the back of my hilt I would. Out of total respect, of course. The longer he held off speaking the more he hurt her, the more she was forced to try and draw her own conclusions. She was a brilliant scientist, but this was new terrain altogether.

“So,” She looked away, shoulders drooping and this was not lost on my Master, who followed them with his stare. “After this mess of a Calamity, should I ever get my power, I… I will free you to do as you wish. You need not bear any further weight for m-mmpf!”

Just as I feared the air would turn to fire, Master Link spoke the best way he knew how- through actions. It was a brief kiss, but one that left the Princess completely speechless for a change of pace and breathing as though she’d been submerged for hours. Their foreheads were still pressed together afterwards in reverence of what line they’d just crossed.

Despite that, it was plain to see the relief that flowed through her. There was something else there- something that caused her eyes to darken substantially. None of that took away from the glimmer in their emerald depths.

He lifted a hand to gently and delicately place a loose strand of hair behind her ear.

“No.” He said softly, trying painfully hard to dash all of her doubts with just a look and a single word .

_Translation: It’s you. It’s always been you._

There was a brief moment where he feared that he’d somehow misinterpreted all of this and that wasn’t exactly what the Princess had wanted.

Silly Hero.

“Okay.” She said shyly before leaning in to close the gap between them again, growing more acquainted with the sensation.

_Translation: This is exactly what I want._

This time, it was much longer and was the kind of kiss that you sunk into. Their mouths seemed to perfectly slant across one another and moved experimentally against each other. Master Link, who was once so full of distress over feeling dirty or improper for his emotions, felt not a single morsel of regret either.

It was the mention of them continuing onward, post-Calamity, that got to him. That alternate route for him was no longer the dream, not at all. For, as much as they might have initially wished things were different, they weren’t. This is what they have and for Master Link, it was better than what he could have imagined in a small cottage baking all alone. He did not want to even dare to imagine Princess Zelda walking around with a different knight.

Not if he could help it. Especially since it was very clear that she did not want another and that propriety was hurting her and not protecting her.

If he could not be with her in the eyes of the public, he would take any way- any morsel- if she’d have him.

Judging by the way her arms encircled his neck and how she’d climbed into his lap, she was more than willing to have him. He was more than happy to let her take the lead in this game, living for the determination she had that made up for any lack of experience and for the way her little hands gripped at the back of his tunic like a lifeline, as if she was afraid he would ever take flight.

I doubt he has ever felt closer to the sensation of flying than right now.

This time, when they pulled away they were both breathless and red-faced. The air in the room was warm and completely devoid of any question what either was thinking. Master Link, for his part, seemed to have a clear head for the first time in so long and could not stop relishing over the fact of how perfect she felt in between his arms.

“It seems the rain has stopped.” He finally said. “Unless you have any other scientific projects you’d like to look into while we’re out here…”

“Well, this… This is going to require some extensive hands on research.” She pressed her forehead to his. “That is, if you’re a willing co-investigator.”

My Master’s heart squeezed in adoration for her and he nuzzled his nose against hers. “Yes, we should be very thorough.”

Princess Zelda grinned without pause and once again Master Link’s heart was set aflutter at the way her cheeks dimpled and her eyes sparkled- emanating light and magic in the most human form. The very knowledge that he was the cause of it made him never want to let go of her. And yet, he had the most overwhelming sensation to kiss that grin right off her face.

So, he did just that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "Some one told me love controls everything... But only if you know!"


	13. King Rhoam

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> At a banquet in his honor, King Rhoam ponders over if he is anything more than a king of the damned.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Associated with Memory #12: Father and Daughter
> 
> Mood-setting song: "Daughters" by John Mayer
> 
> "Fathers, be good to your daughters. Daughters will love like you do."

The day my Zelda was born to this earth was the greatest day of my life. I swear I did not breathe until my face turned blue, I was in such awe of her ethereal beauty. She was a healthy babe, born before the chill of winter could kill the crops and the morale. Her hair was golden even then and eyes were brighter than the sky above.

I recall how tightly she gripped my large finger with her chubby little hand. I looked to my radiant wife and said,

_“She’s a fighter, this one.”_

_“She will save us all.” She responded with equal parts resolution and kindness._

And I held to that faith for oh so long. It was easy to see how bright the girl was. Perhaps it did instill me with foolish insecurity that my child was racing by me in the realms of academics, but I was never ashamed for too long. My wife always said that the youth were supposed to outsmart the old. They will outlive us, after all. It will be their world longer than it is ours.

The kingdom celebrated the baby girl for 3 straight months without ceasing for a moment. Every individual in the castle just _had_ to see her and bask in her beauty. I had to grow accustom to sharing her very quickly, even when I didn’t want to let her go. She was more valuable to me than the entire world and I would give her the world if necessary.

My wife, as always, was more pragmatic even if loving in nature. I believe she inspired me to reach my greatest depths of kindness and sympathy. I watched her lead for so long and she never ceased to amaze me with how she was miles better at anything she touched than me. I never got the hang of changing diapers or singing lullabies or doing hair as she did. I also never grasped commanding armies, listening to the common folk, or negotiating peace as she did.

Her death took the wind out of my sail. She had already been sick, but we were preparing to take her out to the country to see Purah, Impa’s sister, in hopes that she had developed new-age technology to help aid my wife in her sickness.

One moment I was sleeping comfortably in our bed and the next, I was awoken with a shrill scream.

Somehow, the castle had been infiltrated by Sheikah traitors, who heard of our plan and saw to it that it was never complete. Our marriage was arranged, but there was never a trace of ghosts in our marital bed until the night I discovered her bloody and lifeless.

My best knight, Link’s father, managed to get to my daughter’s room before they could think of it, and decapitated both on the spot. He said he was certain Zelda never saw the heads roll, but she appeared so haunted and far off that evening, that I knew there was no going back.

I remember not knowing how to reach for her after the dust settled.

No longer could I play a backseat in any facet of life. I did not get to merely enjoy the ride, but had to take charge of it. Our days that were once peaceful became shrouded with impending doom. Zelda was only 10 then and while unfair, had to become the immediate heir to the throne.

She’d been trained to prayer and dedicate herself her entire life, but never like this. She was always encouraged by her mother to pursue her own interests and experience life by living. We didn’t have time to let her be a child anymore. Her mother was gone and the power, with her.

From there, I believe I died a little bit too. I lost my title of the kind king. I don’t believe I’ve ever been tyrannical outside of my own house, but I certainly did not smile with ease or let my guard down on any occasion. I would protect my daughter with everything still, but I did not have it in me. She was supposed to.

And even though I once swore to the blonde baby in my arms that I would sacrifice everything for her, that was not practical and it could not be true. Everyone had babies and everyone had loved ones and if we all gave up everything for them, Hyrule would be nothing.

Take Sir Arn, my sworn protector, he traded up his only boy with such ease it almost seemed as though he didn’t care. But we do, we all care. His boy was to be the Hero so other boys did not have to be.

I write in my journal every night, the things I wish I could say instead of those that I do. The moment anyone sees me going soft, the moment they believe the kingdom is toppling over into a mudslide of sympathy. I do not like banishing my daughter and threatening her with notions that will promise her unhappiness, but I justify it with the ideology that after all of this goes away, I would let her have anything to her heart’s content.

If she wanted to become a scientist or a scholar after the Calamity was sealed away and gone for good, she would have my blessing, but these are times of hardship and while I wish I could see that sparkle in her eyes again, I cannot spare it. There is too much on the line for me to be so bold.

I have an immense amount of pressure on my chest and while it cannot compare to her own, I must deal with it the only way I know how.

I drink.

And drink.

And drink some more.

That foolish girl! Every time I _begin_ to think she understands my grief, understands the pressure that I am under, I fall for it. I fall for those doe eyes that are of my color, but her mother’s soul. I even start to feel guilty about berating her until I hear that she is off on another whimsical adventure.

_I looked out at my lead of the Royal Guard and his still face. It is not very often he calls to speak to me. If it were a regular, puny low-born I would not have spared even a glance before throwing them out of the castle. Arn was of no normalcy, though. He was the closest I’d come to having a friend during my reign. On top of all of that, he gifted us with the Hero of our time._

_“Link is the greatest chance we’ve got, you know.”_

_He did not react to his son being the only successful portion of the prophecy thus far. Instead, he nodded solemnly and a different expression clouded his eyes. Was it worry? I recognized that very much, for I saw it every time I looked in the mirror. He did not feel comfortable with the piece he’d come to speak._

_“Tell me what plagues your mind, Sir Knight. You are of the most noble of your legion and you have been by my side through the grimmest of days. I seek your humble opinion and swear to hold no malice for the thoughts that probe your mind.”_

_After a moment, he spoke. “My son… He’s changed… I did not notice it at first for maybe it was microscopic at best in the beginning, but while he stills remains true in his cause of serving Hyrule, he has become rather light in his step.”_

_“Did he not enjoy his break at the Zora domain?”_

_“It’s not that… He is with her at all times.”_

_“As he was assigned,”_

_“But I fear that he will become distracted as…”_

_As the Princess is._

_“Where is Zelda now?” I gritted._

_“The fields.”_

_She was likely not praying._

_“Probably messing with the Guardians. If my esteemed scientists cannot trace their power and worth, what draws her to the conclusion that a powerless Princess could do better?”_

_He did not answer, because doing so would require speaking out of turn against her or me._

_“Would you like me to fetch her?”_

_“No,” I growled. “I will go myself.”_

In hindsight, throwing a banquet so soon after I claimed my daughter to be an heir to a throne of nothing was likely a terrible idea. Neither of us were in the spirits, still stewing from our confrontation the week before. As the alcohol coursed through my veins, I wondered if I hated her. No, that can’t be right. There was no possible way that someone who used to give me so much joy could fill my soul with darkness and self-loathing.

I hate me, maybe, but never her.

I might resent her a bit. She is youthful and bounces back better than I. She claims to be terrible at making public appearances, but she is a natural at speaking with the people in the same vein that I wish she was a natural at being a Goddess. She also resembles her mother in a way that breaks my heart. I remember her mother at 16. She was a lovely being and my youthful self, just 20 at the time, could hardly handle being in her presence.

She doesn’t resemble me in the slightest, save for the color of her eyes. Her mother’s were a remarkable violet, full of mystery and depth. Zelda’s are emeralds and look far better on her than they do on me. I pretend not to notice as every man in the banquet hall gawks at her from every corner of the room. The worst of all being our own court poet, Lawrence.

He has been trying to grab her attention since he was assigned as poet. If he weren’t so good at his job, I’d have fired him long ago. He believes he is discrete, but last week he sang a song about a woman’s ‘bodacious and divine figure’ and I almost threw my chalice at him.

Her eyes don’t even drift to him beyond a courteous ‘thank you’ or a gentle smile of appreciation. Instead, she lingers near her appointed knight, the Hero of Hyrule, and that pleases me tremendously. She may be a rebellious little scamp, but she has found a close connection with her knight. It seems I got through to her on one account.

Now, the two are rarely ever seen apart, even when he need not be over her shoulder, like through the castle. Lately, he has been seen standing outside her door at night and there in the morning by passing workers. When does he sleep? How did we get so lucky to have someone so efficient and determined to assist Zelda in her dedications?

As appreciation, I tried to send him to blow off some steam with his rumored beloved Mipha. Lawrence, our court poet, claimed Link was quite taken with the Zora Princess. However, the rumor mill claims they are not an item and that Link’s heart did not belong to her after all.

I wondered if he had a heart at all beneath that solemn exterior. He spoke evenly and almost robotic at times, but his actions proved his severity and merit. My advisor, Impa, claimed he could be quite the wit at times and it seems my own daughter does not dislike his presence anymore.

Who is this boy beneath the shell he keeps well-crafted? Did he have wants? Did he have dreams? One could not tell.

He is the one thing we’ve got going for us and if my daughter wants to spend a little extra time with someone that has their head turned on straight, so be it.

I do fear she may corrupt him, though. Is failure contagious? It’s certainly passed on from father to daughter. His own father had these fears too, though he did not articulate what that was based in. I, for one, could not see much of a difference in the way the knight behaved. He walked closer to Zelda, but then again, she allowed him to now.

Link and Zelda talk (though it’s most likely all Zelda) in a faraway corner from the rest of the party. Her eyes glued to him like a moth drawn to a flame and I must say, he was intently looking to her as well. She was probably talking about the verbal lashing I’d given.

Then again, she was smiling unabashedly, as she always seemed to around her appointed knight these days. She stole glances at him whenever she could as he did to her, glancing on top of their drink cups with bright eyes. Though in his case, it was for her protection. For her, I cannot tell what she saw in him that she didn’t see before.

Regardless, to have her find some level of solace in someone or something was refreshing for me. Especially since being around him could only do her good.

She laughed at something he said and covers her mouth after her outburst. The barest traces of a smile are on his face, but it also could have been gas. It was anyone’s guess really.

The court poet shifted to another love song that is so obviously directed at my daughter and many men approach her for a dance. She dances with them all, though she’s visibly distracted, glancing over their shoulders to presumably the window behind Link. Can she not at least _pretend_ to be engaged by one of them? These men are lords and leaders. They are high-born and deserving of her affection. She should be so glad that despite her lack of sensibility and accomplishment, that they are interested at all.

Still, she never stops dancing while Link stands awkwardly to the side, never removing her from his sight and protection. He is quite vigilant in his work, I must say. The boy never emotes, but he never takes his eyes off of Zelda. I suppose she’s given him a run for his money sometimes, but she is in the presence of all of the Champions as well as the entire Royal Guard. She has never been safer.

Still, he watches her with a tight hand wrapped around his own cup. He never drinks alcohol, according to his father, so it must be the punch. His face is a slight shade of pink, but it is rather warm in these quarters. The hand at his side twitches every now and then, but beyond that, he does not change expression or position once.

His father approaches him for a conversation and seeing the two men communicate was like watching two walls right in front of each other. Link resembled his father greatly save for his eyes, which must have been a trait of his mother’s. Countless maids and cooks swooned after him, and I’m not blind, I know what they see in him. He is strong and stern just as his father was.

Though Link didn’t impart too much dedication to his father’s words, whatever they may be, because he kept looking beyond them to check on the comfort of my Zelda. She was currently dancing with the Duke of Lorule, Kenneth Montague, when she jumps back a bit in offense. Like a flash, Link is there beside her and stepping between the two, hand on the knife that was sheathed on his belt. Zelda had a hand on Link’s shoulder.

“What in the blazes?” I exclaimed.

“It appears the Duke made a grab at your daughter’s behind, your majesty.” The loyal Impa supplied.

I settled more in my seat. To touch a lady in such a brash manner without her consent! Not my daughter! She was the Princess of bloody Hyrule and the Goddess incarnate. I should have the boy hung for that. It’s treason!

Impa, as always, seemed to read my mind. “Don’t break out the noose so soon. I think the Hero has this one covered.”

I grumbled in my seat, but accepted this, because before the next song change, Link had him out of there. The party continued as if it never happened. Zelda followed him out, which I wanted to advise against, but she was the wronged damsel and deserved to decide her perpetrator’s punishment.

When they returned, however, they looked slightly more disheveled than before. I wondered if the cad got another hand on her. Zelda certainly appeared embarrassed like she’d been biting her lip. Instead of going to dance with any other Lords from faraway, she grabbed for her knight’s hand and pulled him to the center of the floor.

It made sense. He protected her honor and deserved a tribute. I raised my glass in the air in celebration for him while she placed a delicate hand on his shoulder and he cautiously wrapped one around her waist. They were awful close for a public dance, but they were also connected souls in a way. Not in a romantic fashion of course. The Hero and Princess never continued the lineage together, but there was a sense of bonding between them that could not be denied by a mere mortal king such as I. Sir Arn did not seem pleased.

“She appears happier today, doesn’t she?” I asked Impa, who nodded.

“That boy calms her down.”

“It seems she provides him some calm too.” I think aloud. “He looked just about ready to kill that Duke.”

Impa smirked. “Yes, well, he understands the severity of his job requires intimate closeness.”

“That it does. I shall order him to stay guard at her door this evening.”

“You know he will anyway.”

“Yes, well I don’t want that Duke or any of the others getting any funny ideas about scaling the castle walls. Zelda has prayers to commit to. She has a duty to fulfil so she can match our Hero of Hyrule.”

“You should have more faith in her.” Impa said quietly.

I gave her an appraised look. “You speak to your king that way?”

“You know I do.” She retorted. “You would be dead by the tenfold without me.”

Oh, if only that weren’t _so_ true.

“It is hard to have faith in what you cannot see, Impa.”

She pointed to my daughter, who was clearly leading the dance between she and her knight across the ballroom. Their motions were fluid and it was tough to discern where he ended and she began. Lawrence looked rather bristled that his dance was inspiring such connectivity.

“Look at her. That is your hope, do not diminish it.”

I knew she was right, but I also knew that we were running limited on time and I did not have the patience or heart to see my land ripped away by a mythological pig-demon.

I called Link over to me while Zelda was busy chatting with Urbosa and Daruk. Urbosa chortled something about “being right all along” before being quietly admonished by Zelda. Whatever for, I could not be sure. Link seemed to be enduring his own speech from Daruk, who kept slapping him on the back. Zelda gave him a careful look before he excused himself from the conversation. It was good I called him over. He might have had a broken back soon if I hadn’t.

“Rise, boy.” I said in a thick voice. I knew I was drunk, but I continued on. “I need you to be straight with me.”

He said nothing at all, but so much in the nod he gave me.

“Has my daughter shown any signs of power?”

He thought about it, and if you have to think about it, it means that it wasn’t there at all. Oh, I could have banged my fists against the armrests of my thrown, but somehow I withheld such rage.

“She has many strengths, your majesty. She is brave and wise and cunning-”

“-But does she distribute the makings of a Goddess?”

Another pause. “She does not have the sealing power yet.”

 _Yet_ , as if there was hope. As if I hadn’t become a king of the damned and with a daughter who stood to inherit nothing. She would die, I would die, the entire kingdom would die. The line would stop with us.

“Her mother achieved it later in life.” I admitted finally, but that was when we didn’t need it.

He didn’t inquire, he never would, but I continued on. “Do you know when she got her power?”

Link shook his head, eyes boring into my own in that intense way.

“She gave birth.” I laughed bitterly. “Ironic, isn’t it? That the birth of the one that has no power is the one that inspired it?”

Link shifted in his feet. Of course, he’d grown closer to my daughter and saying these negative things made him uncomfortable. I could not blame him for that. His loyalty to me was to take precedence though.

Then, it hit me.

“Perhaps, that’s the key.” I said in amazement.

It was like talking to myself.

“Perhaps, the sealing power comes when the vessel gives birth to the next generation.” I was on a roll now and completely oblivious to the slight intake of breath from the young knight.

“It might seem cruel, offering off my daughter’s virtue, but if that is what it takes to preserve the good of the kingdom…”

I stroked my beard and Link’s eyes gained a level of intensity I’d seen earlier with the Duke of Lorule. He did not approve of my burgeoning plot. He did not move a muscle nor did he really show his feelings, but I focused hard on reading him.

“My wife and I were arranged and we ended up perfectly happy. I married her when she turned 17. Zelda is nearly there. Thoughts on any prospects?”

He took a deep breath. “I don’t think we have 9 months, sire.”

Oh, that was true. The monsters were rising at rapids rate and drudges of malice were turning up all over the expanse of Hyrule. That was the stink of it, wasn’t it? Zelda would have to actually be pregnant for it to work. And if the sealing magic didn’t come, well, that was just another life gone. She would be in no shape to fight off Ganon.

“Hm, you make a good point.” I said. “There is also no guarantee that she would get pregnant.”

Who’s to say my daughter, who could not handle Goddess-given rites of passage, could handle that of a mortal woman’s either?

He wanted to say something else, I could tell, but knew that speaking out of turn would be largely frowned upon in this setting.

“Ah, well. I suppose she will have to remain in solitary for the next few weeks to prepare for her trek to the Spring of Power. You will prepare her for that, no?”

He nodded tersely. “Yes, sir.”

“Would you mind guarding by her chambers this evening?”

He looked at me carefully before answering. “It would be my pleasure, sir.”

I just hoped my daughter would honor Hylia enough to be granted power when she reaches the Spring.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "Oh, you see that skin? It's the same she's been standing in. Since the day she saw him walking away... Now she's left cleaning up the mess he made."


	14. Hylia

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Zelda expresses her irritation with Hylia while the Goddess observes from afar.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: nsfw
> 
> Associated with Memory #13: Slumbering Power
> 
> Mood-setting song: “Hesitate” by the Jonas Brothers
> 
> "I will take your pain and put it on my heart. I won't hesitate. Just tell me where to start."

“Curse you!” The young blonde threw her hands down into the cold water, creating a slight splash. Her stare was burning, but her eyes were filled with hot tears that threatened to tread down her pale yet delicate face.

I’ve spent the ages bearing witness to the fruitful advances of my bloodline. I have seen my girls skyward bound, commanding the bluest of oceans, and entrenched in twilight, but this one… This… Wild girl… The scholar… The so-called ‘Heir to Nothing’ is unlike any that walked this earth before her.

They have certainly never looked at me with brazen and incredibly human eyes in a holy place to… Curse me?

Nay, few have had her nerve. 

She is young and beautiful as all have been and will be, if not in her own unique way. She carries the spirit of a warrior and the mind of a researcher, but the heart is what matters… Yes, her heart still requires… Awakening.

She is close, I’ll admit, and her time dedicated to exploring what she loves is a grander sentiment than any prayer could ever be. How can one flourish if they felt trapped? That was no way to go on living.

She knows her history and the importance of combining innovation with tradition. It is true; a day has not passed where she has not made some form of devotion or prayer to me. She has been most loyal, more so than her mother or grandmother.

Yet, I bestowed their power much sooner, because that was as it was meant to be. They led in times of prosperity and growth for the land I love and cherish so dear. They were to lead the land into brighter times and to represent my name by acting as earthly mothers and leaders.

They did not have to face the bitterness of Demise’s wrath as this young one will have to. She is not alone for as long as the triforce is divine and I am true, she never will be.

I do not, unfortunately, have total control over the fates. Admittedly, had this poor girl’s mother survived that harsh spring, she might have figured out that this power was not something you could study to achieve nor was it a power inherited by intense devotion and solitude. It is incredibly human for her father to push such intense restraints on her and for her to retaliate with her own equally human solution.

It just reminds me how much I love these people. I love their struggle, I adore their effort, and I thrive on their resolve. It is why I fell so irrevocably in love with my paramour and why I ensure that his beatitude always thrives as a counterpart for my daughters, adding different inflections of humanity to each iteration.

It is for this and numerous other reasons I shall not disclose, that this one, this girl, is a gem amongst the rest. All have been the perfect leaders and impeccably holy in nature, but this one, she is flawed. She has weaknesses. She is human.

And I love that most of all.

“What’s wrong with me?” She lamented and her voice cracks on the end of it.

Oh sweet girl, how I wish I could answer, for nothing is wrong with you beyond what ludicrous negativity has been filled in your head. Your sense of inadequacy holds you back and your disbelief that you could be an heir to more than nothing. If only your father and the others could understand that while religion and faith is important to me, that without it you would still be you. You would be my chosen daughter and I would still protect you with my grace. That triangle on your hand is not the only indicator of your potential.

It is not your fault, none of this. How I wish I could take this stress off of you, but I cannot, not until you fully unlock your heart. For we do not learn, if we do not arrive to our own conclusions. I have long-since given you the power you seek- the power you need- but you must find it within yourself.

You must be brave, little one. 

Speaking of heart, Link- her Hero, who typically remained with his back turned out of propriety and respect during the entire dedication, was fully facing her and me. His eyes, azure and intense, bore through her back, incredulous by the assumption that anything could be wrong with her. I am certain if there was some way for him to slash away her insecurities, he would perform any task.

There are fewer beasts as large as the ones we harbor in our minds and chest though and try as he might, he cannot fight his way through this. Assuming he does not understand this would be an infraction on his character, for the boy is tender with his princess and looks unto her with adoration and loyalty that goes far beyond duty and even fate.

Or piousness, for without hesitation, he climbed into the spring once he took sight of the way her figure was suddenly wracked with wretched shaking. Her breathing short and frantic and tears rolling down her cheeks, she appeared more human than ever before. Composure was gone and the weight of the world finally caused ache on her shoulders.

Dashing towards her, causing the water to slosh, the handsome Hero reached out to cautiously wrap a hand around her forearm; silently asking for permission to pull her into an embrace. She trembled, whether out of the cool of the water or the anxiety that strikes her, is debatable, but she relented nonetheless and turns to press her face into his chest.

He essentially holds her weight, for she loses the ability to carry herself in that moment, so racked with painful rejection. She was discouraged at the Spring of Courage as well, but the recent tirade the King unleashed seemed to be the final catalyst in a breakdown.

“Nothing is wrong with you.” He murmured into her ear while running soothing warm hands up and down her back.

She shook her head in disagreement, mussing her hair in the process.

In a sense, it was a ticking bomb until she finally broke. Poor darling, she deserves more. Fate is cruel and I do what I can. I really do. I have seen how this can play out and it is never pretty. Not a single outcome leaves either of these children unscathed. I try, I really do, but there is only so much a Goddess can do.

It is a far more limited position in terms of destiny. I can bless a farmer with healthy crops, but I cannot make a high-born fall in love with him. I can give a family a child, but I cannot make them good parents. I can equip my children with the proper tools to find their way, but I cannot just force them to see the power, to see the light, that lies within.

That is the crux of the issue, of course. They are children fighting the wars of an entire people. The Hero, who woke up one day with destiny at his door- demanding binding loyalty in exchange for guaranteed remorse and loss. The world was watching him, knowing he was capable, and put all of their faith and livelihood in _him_.

The Princess, who spent every day of her life being told who she had to be and what she had to accomplish, the pressure concaving on her soul and preventing any natural growth. The entire world was watching her as well, waiting and predicting that she will _fail_.

Neither deserved any of this, but then again, did the others deserve it either? I should think not. All were loyal children whose only true offense was being born into this life.

What was worse? Being born never experiencing freedom or having freedom snatched away?

Regardless, they will hurt, perhaps more than any of the others ever have, but at least they have one another in a way that most could not say.  

Her arms encircled his waist and clutch to him as if he could be brought any closer to her. She sniffled and tried to audibly reply, but nothing coherent came and instead another shiver coursed down her spine.

“Zelda, I need to get you out of this water.”

Ah, oh I love how informal they’ve gotten. Few of the other Princess’ and Heroes have gotten to this part, being sufficiently held back by societal norms and their respective paths that were intricately laid in front of them.

Still, no reply from her, but the Hero wasn’t really waiting for one, because he pulled away, still maintaining an outstretched arm for support, and scoops her into his arms- one under her knees and the other around her waist. The Princess’s demeanor didn’t change, but she did have the good sense to wrap her arms around his neck to stabilize her position in his arms.

Her white dress was entirely soaked from the waist down, see-through and sopping in the chilled moonlight. Her fingers dug deep into the Hero, understanding that in this moment, he was her lifeline. Her faith in him ostensibly larger than her faith in me.

In the true spirit of a Hero, there wasn’t any indication of struggle while bearing her entire weight during his trek to shore. Along the way, he made no stops, but did turn his head to press soft kisses to the side of her head, occasionally repeating his initial statement in her ear.

_“There’s nothing wrong with you. There’s nothing wrong with you. There’s nothing wrong with you.”_

When they reached the bank of the spring, he still didn’t put her down, sensing that she was not ready to maintain balance. Rather, he took a seat under a large tree with her still enveloped in his embrace, keeping the distance minimal to create warmth.

They looked like a song her court poet would cultivate. Albeit, with more reverence towards the Princess’ dripping image and beautiful sorrow and less affection towards that knight that held her together.

When her panic showed only signs of worsening, he took her face in his hands and kissed her firmly on the mouth, forcing her to take pause of the haste, ragged breaths she’d been inhaling at rapid succession. Her mind was refocused from failure and onto something which she’d obtained proficiency over the last two months.

When he slowly parted, she eyed him curiously, the remnants of haunting ghosts slowly parting from her gaze.

He ran a gentle hand through her hair with ease- a habit he’d fallen into during their stolen moments together. It ran through his fingertips like a waterfall of gold and pooled in his grasp tenderly. He surveyed her face to insure there were no signs of anxiety seizing control of her again.

“I heard that helps.” He offered.

If she’d been feeling truly herself, she might have asked him how he gathered that information or inquire about the specifics of the solution for research. The scholar in her did not arrive though. Instead, she shivered, and he rubbed his warm hands against her arms.

“It did.” She said after thinking about it.

He searched her eyes for anything- any flicker of the light he knew they were capable of holding. Instead, she was focused on returning from the fog of nerves that coiled her. He could accept this as a step of improvement.

Love could soothe wounds, beloved Hero, but it cannot make them go away entirely.

That does not mean he will cease continuing to try.

He gently encouraged her to lay her head on his shoulder, her cold nose buried against his hot neck. He tightened his hold on her, determined to get her warm and full of life again.

They sat like that for a few minutes with nothing but a blanket of darkness surrounding them save for the slight glow of moonlight that shimmered down on my person. Crickets and distant frogs gave the habitat life and the Princess slowly timed her breaths to their rhythmic melody. 

“She did not answer again.” She admitted softly.

The raw hurt that rattled her chest when she pleaded me to tell her what was wrong with her had dwindled down to something reminiscent of disappointment and timid sorrow. I was just glad she had comfort in the Hero right now, for I could not act as such.

He made an understanding noise in the back of his throat. “She will.”

“How can you be sure?”

Science is a wonderful and intriguing concept for my most recent incarnation, but it is not everything. It is not a script. She cannot apply it to everything that exists around her. She cannot apply it to the miracles or the hardships that remain unseen. She cannot apply it to the tightly wound power that seeks to break loose.

Take what she has between she and the knight. That cannot be explained by simple hypothesis nor is it delved in the depths of religion. It is its own force in total.

“I believe in you.”

It wasn’t the logical list of proof that the little one wanted or maybe the answer that she needed, but he did not have all of the answers to the universe. If he did, he would know that he is integral to her discovery of power. He is the very center of it in a way. As far as I can tell, this little bubble that they’ve surrounded themselves in is the first real time either has had anything for themselves. Something no one else can touch or taint with talk of oncoming trauma and responsibility.

“I’m sorry.” She sighed and withdrew a bit, pulling her hands back awkwardly.

She was so used to feeling shame and having an alarming display of her anxiety did not help boast her own confidence. She felt as though she should not be breaking, because she is supposed to be a descendent of the Goddess. Let it be noted that there should be emphasis on _descendent_ not Goddess. She is not me. She is still just as much her Father’s blood as she is her Mother’s.

“No, no, please don’t be.” He took the retreated hands in his own and tugged them to his chest so her hands were splayed against his heart.

“I don’t deserve your belief. I can’t even perform a dutiful prayer without falling apart like an emotional fool.”

“I am your appointed knight.” He reasoned and kissed one of her hands to silently remind her that he was more than that too. “I swore an oath to protect you from any cause of harm. That includes matters of the heart and mind. If I could, I would gladly remove all traces of pain from your heart and place them on my own. It would be my honor, actually.”

He was so serious, but the opposite of stoic. His eyes were intense and purposeful, making themselves clear if his voice didn’t already do that. His tone was even and true, leaving no room for interpretation that his Princess had no reason to feel ashamed for being emotional in front of him.

She softened at his touching sentiment and leaned forward to bump their foreheads together, releasing a long-held breath as she did.

“So that’s why you kissed me. Because you are an excellent and accomplished protector.” Her voice was laced with gentle teasing and the signs that she was returning to her true self.

His eyes twinkled at her. “Well, that was certainly part of it.”

“Mhmm.” She nodded. “Would you like to protect me again?”

“And again and again and-” He whispered until she cut him off by pressing her mouth to his. 

Her hand snaked its way to the base of his neck to hold him in place as she parts her lips for him, eliciting a soft noise from the Hero, who gladly accepts her. Her soaked dress left little to the imagination in the moonlight and stuck to her skin like paint. Her handmaidens would be mortified if they saw her in such a state, though mostly consumed with jealousy above all else, because the Hero’s hands held onto her waist.

They are safe here to behave as they please. Ganon’s abominations do not dare tread on my holy grounds, knowing good and well that they would be obliterated on sight. Any lingering travelers would not have access to my realms for as long as it is occupied by the Princess and the Hero.

They’ve kissed many times since giving in to their romantic feelings. Some were innocent as the sweet kisses shared at the passing of each morning or night in the safety of her study. Others were frantic and stolen, in the shadows of the palace and up against secluded corners. They kissed a lot in the wild. It started as exploration and sometimes grew consuming and teetered on the line of propriety. However, they always retreated due to impending danger, lack of time, or their own apprehension.

There was no traces of apprehension tonight.

She may not have discovered her sealing abilities, but in the friction generated between their bodies as they eagerly moved in their embrace, she found a different power. She pulled away to inhale a deep breath; cheeks pink and eyes darker that the sky above. She looked down and back up at him in awe, amazed at the electricity that she knew existed thanks to a curious book that was kept under her bed, but never wholly experienced for herself. Truthfully, she never believed she would be able to have something so precious for herself.

There is something delightfully unhinged about this boy, particularly as his eyes roam over her figure and up to her face in hunger.

The Hero’s wild eyes spoke his mind better than he ever could and then glanced past her to see me. Uncertainty crossed his handsome face quickly as he remembered that the Princess was not only in her prayer garments, but that they were soaked and in the holy realm of a deity. Defiling it would logically not bring anything good for the land of Hyrule.

Also, I think my stony face made him uncomfortable.

The Princess followed his gaze and turned around. Her look upon me was not one of reverence or even fear. She knew that if anything were to kill her, it would not be me. I needed her far too much to operate the continuity of my bloodline. I needed her to prevent the land from diving into chaos, even if she felt she did not have my respect. She smirked back at her knight, who watched her with careful eyes.

“Come, Hero.” She stood to her feet with surprising eloquence. She outstretched a hand for him to grasp and he accepted, carefully adjusting his tunic so that it hung a little lower over his waist.

She spared me one last glance as she pulled him around the circumference of the spring and behind me, which revealed an opening with a shrine inside. As if my eyes don’t stretch all across Hyrule. I suppose it’s the ceremonious aspect more than anything.

His gaze searched hers for clarification and to confirm she was in any mindset to be making such deliberate choices.  After all, she was a Princess beyond this Goddess blood that flowed through her. She did have a reputation to uphold and suffered enough grief, not that a single word of this would ever slip from the Hero’s mouth. He never wanted to defile her or hurt her in any manner.

That did not, of course, mean he didn’t want her. King Rhoam’s words of assigning her a suitor rung through his brain like a clanging bell. His heart flared at the thought of her with another or that her father would care so little for her happiness, even if in the name of the kingdom. So, as she simply shucked the wet prayer dress and jewelry off of herself, he allowed himself to awaken dreams that previously only existed in banished nooks of his mind.

She was ethereal.

This was not his first time seeing the naked Hylian form in this light. Before being assigned to Zelda, he’d experienced the pleasure of the body a few times at the recommendation of his father. Something about it clearing the mind before battle. It was never more than that, though. He never understood the crooning songs of lust and love sung by the court poet until his relationship with Princess Zelda turned for the better. 

Right now, all of his responsibilities and worries washed off his shoulders save for a determination to love her completely and fully for as long as she would have him.

This boy did not love her solely as the Goddess, for while that would always have a part to play in these incarnations that are passed over time, it is not everything. He loves the person and the qualities that make her tick.

He unclipped his own belt and flipped his tunic and shirt over his head, revealing a sculpted form of muscle and scar that the Princess took in with appreciation. This time, she did not bow away as her ears and cheeks turned scarlet. He did not get the chance to even reach to remove his trousers before she was already on him like jelly on toast.

Somehow in their passionate frenzy, he managed to lay out a bedroll beneath them on the stone floor in front of the shrine. He kissed every inch of her, starting with her brow and her nose and her lips, but made his way out and down, taking special care to kiss the faded triangle on the back of her hand.

“This is not the symbol of your worth.” He breathed before reverently ducking down to place an open-mouthed kiss over on her chest, just where her heart frantically beat beneath her skin. “This is.”

She opened her mouth to respond, but he was quicker and kissed her forehead. “And this. You are worthy and you are loved.”

It was not quite a confession of love, but the starving adoration in his eyes was much more indicative of how she made him feel.

She smiled up at him and ran her hands down his back to the waistline of his trousers. “Show me.”

With a coy smile and a quick peck on the lips, the wild boy continued his descent and ravished her until her daily praying rituals truly showed their merit in the way she made his name sound like a prayer on repeat.

“Link… Link… _Link_!”

Her soft sighs and breaths echoed off the walls of the cave. My figure had been long forgotten by the entangled duo.

Typically, one would require a dragon’s scale to discover this shrine, but something (me) compelled this Zelda to uncover its secret. It is not a trade. For as pleasant as the sensation of a handsome Hero’s face between one’s thighs can be, it is not necessarily worth bearing the weight of apocalypse. It is a simple gesture of goodwill that I hope will provide slight comfort in the struggles to come. 

They comfort each other quite thoroughly, might I add. The moment she comes down from the highest peaks of pleasure, he progresses her into the next with the vexing thirst of a man dying of dehydration. And again after that, but with the addition of his fingers too.

The Hero meant his silent vow to never hurt her and understood that she was of the body of a mortal (and a beautiful one at that) and susceptible to both the pleasures and pains of her cavern. Besides, he would have happily resigned to bringing her over the edge for the rest of his days.

“You know,” She added breathlessly after the third time, “I have been riding horses my whole life. I’m not made of glass.”

He placed a kiss on the inside of her thigh. “As if I hadn’t always wanted to do that.”

Pleased with his work, he crawled up to her, kissing a trail upwards this time until she caught his face between her hands and brought him to her mouth for a slow and deliberate kiss. Discarded, finally, were the Hero’s pants.

“You are my reprieve.” She whispered against his mouth while stroking him at a pace that was almost painstakingly slow. “I would love if you’d allow me to be yours.”

He wanted to say a thousand things as always, like how she already was or something pertaining to how precious she was to him, but the words died in his throat at the increase of her pace. He instead nodded in assent and buried his face in the hollow of her neck when she guided him to her.

What a beautiful tribute to my own Hero and I, for we and the many others before this wild bunch, never got the luxury of experiencing the most primal expression of love and affection. As souls and bodies met and heartbeats were shared, the darkness evaporated into rising daylight. Generations of skyward, sea, twilight and beyond time all rejoiced in the form of early morning dew.

Love would be the Goddess they pray to and it shall be their saving grace.  

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "I thank the oceans for giving me you. You saved me once and now I'll save you too."


	15. Impa

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Before departing back to Kakariko, Impa tries to find Zelda to offer counsel in regards to her upcoming hike up Mt. Lanayru.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Associated with Memory #14: To Mount Lanayru
> 
> Mood-setting song: “Wildflowers" by Tom Petty
> 
> "You belong among the wildflowers; you belong in a boat out at sea. Sail away, kill off the hours... You belong somewhere you feel free."

Nobody ever said planning a wedding was easy. Planning a wedding around a prophetic apocalypse while the King of the land loses his marbles? Near impossible. I never accept easy and my husband knows this. It is one of the numerous reasons he is my beloved. That being said, I was having this wedding, dammit. I was marrying my love with the set focus of bearing a fruitful life. In a way, I wanted to combat the Calamity in my own way. Nothing made hatred stir more than love.

Sadly, this meant I could not impart much-needed love to the Princess of Hyrule, who likely needed it more than anyone could notice. Everyone loved to forget that she was still a mortal girl with physical and emotional needs just as any other. I do not long to be in her position.

My wedding is tomorrow and as per tradition, I will ride into my village at dawn wearing a lovely handsewn dress of my own making. The sun will rise over our heads as we clasp hands at the alter and the elder, my grandmother, bestows upon us the most reverent blessings.

Then, my life begins. Tomorrow is the Princess’ 17th birthday and the day hers is truly determined.

Actually, it’s a day everyone’s is determined.

I wish she could come to my holy union. She would love it so. She’d be absolutely incapsulated by the greenery and the ancient history behind the ceremony. I also think it would do her a lot of good to see marriage bore out of love as opposed to political convenience or duty.

Rhoam is a very loud drunk and while wheeling him off to bed a couple of weeks ago, he proposed the idea of setting Zelda with a suitor to try and inspire some magic within her. I told him right then that it was a ludicrous idea and that taking the last vestiges of freedom away from the girl was a cruelty that the Goddess would not forgive. Arranged marriage was one thing, but Zelda was not even of legal age to be wed and the Princess in question always had the final say.

Did he really think fate put he and the Queen together? Nay, she picked him. I was young, but there for when she did. Back then, Rhoam was a softer and loftier man, capable of empathy and love. Now, I could not necessarily blame him for hardening so much. He lost his love and had no idea how to rule a kingdom, really. That prophecy scared the wits out of him. He feared so heavily of losing everything his wife had built. If that were to happen, history would display him as a failure.

I’ll admit, guilt twanged at my soul for leaving Zelda behind. The world would be holding its breath tomorrow evening in anxious anticipation awaiting her response. I would already be entangled in newly-wed bliss, though I won’t sleep with ease either. Knowing that young girl, only 7 years my junior, would have to bear whatever awaited her, hurt my own soul.

Still, I wanted to impart wisdom on her before she left. My own sister wasn’t going to be at my wedding, curse her flighty ambition. If you’d asked Purah what day of the week it was, she would probably tell you the month. And it would be incorrect. She is that lost to her work. In a way, I respect her and understand her haste. She thrives on the pressure of this crumbling world and fell in love with work. I demand duality.

The sun was almost completely set and I did not spot her in her study or praying by the courtyard. Usually, there was some semblance of a banquet before she ventured off to a Spring. At least, there was the other two times.

I wasn’t there when she returned. I’ve been handling my own tribe’s business with this Yiga clan spouting up all around Hyrule. Sociopathic bastards. Not to mention the wedding. My husband-to-be likely thinks he will never see me. Distance is supposed to make the heart grow fonder.

From what I’ve heard, Zelda didn’t seem too upset about returning empty-handed as she and her trusty Knight waltzed across the courtyard. According to onlooking maids, they’d thought at first she might have succeeded, because she was standing so straight had a radiant glint in her eyes and cast a warm look to her knight. The girls used terms like “his eyes twinkled” or “sparkled” or “glittered”, because they’re all dramatic gossips at the core. The point was, he emoted, if only barely, when they arrived from the wild. She was rosy-cheeked and full of life.

Of course, King Rhoam squashed that under his boot, but not with words. This time, Rhoam did not yell or use exact harshness. According to members of the Royal Guard, he stared at her in utter disdain and disappointment, not able to quite meet her eyes. She was dismissed without a word with Link at her heel.

It was Zelda’s decision to go to the Spring of Wisdom so soon after her trek to the Spring of Power. She’d exhausted herself in constant religious entanglement. Purah said she hadn’t seen her in the lab for her entire time home. She would occasionally be seen in the field side-by-side with Link and they’d overlook some of the improvements (if you could call it that) that Robbie made on the Guardians, but never without a prayer book or a book of her own written vows to Hylia.

The maids said she couldn’t have been sleeping much, for she was never in her sleep chambers. Alice, the leading chambermaid, found her slumped over her desk with a book open beneath her. Sometimes, she was on her knees in front of the statue making tributes for hours on end. Sometimes, she was seen walking the hidden pathways down below, near where the guard’s sleep-quarters were.

Link kept her fed, being sure that not only was he protecting her from outside harm, but from anything she could do to herself. He was a glutton and never liked sharing food in the past, but gladly gave whatever he could find to the slim Princess.

_“I swore I spotted them sitting huddled near the Goddess statue, her reading and mumbling various hymns and homilies, and I saw him feed her an orange slice!” One of Link’s faithful admirers blanched._

_“Well, it wouldn’t matter how quenched my hunger was, I’d eat off of his finger too.” Giggled another._

Rhoam made no comment on the clear deterioration of his daughter.

I hadn’t even gotten a moment alone with her. She was always in her room or her study, alone save for Link’s quiet company or the flurry of her maids. Those girls bristled about Zelda’s commitment to duty when they couldn’t go a single day without pawning over the Hero of Hyrule.

I wanted to tell her to wait, to hold off on going to the Spring. It wasn’t healthy for her to be going at the rate she was pushing herself to. I wanted to tell her that it was okay that everything wasn’t falling into place or that the mysteries of ancient weren’t up to her to solve overnight.

It was very difficult to tell her such things when I couldn’t seem to find her, hm?

I asked anyone who might know, save for her father or even Link’s father. He and his boy came apart recently and no one could pinpoint why. No one from the guard gossiped about one another, especially their leader and the chosen Hero, so it was tough to gather any true intel.

The best source was that nosy poet, who was always lingering in the shadows (he was of the Sheikah, after all) and writing love songs about Zelda. Everyone knew of his infatuation and pitied him, usually, but he could be awfully insufferable at times.

He was in the middle of singing a brand new song that he’d evidently written as a birthday gift for Zelda, but the ending sounded infused with mourning as opposed to the celebration of time.

“What do you think?” He asked when he finished.

“Well, I would take out the part about her ‘shattering your heart’ and about Hyrule being ‘stabbed mercilessly with shards of the broken’. The stuff about her beauty and light was nice.”

“I wrote that at a different time.” He confessed, eyes downcast.

“Oh?”

“Before I knew what I know now.”

I didn’t have time for this. My dress was ready and I needed to ride home in a few hours if I wanted to be in time for the ceremony. Forgive my nonchalance, but Lawrence used to cry over a different girl all of the time growing up. He was a few years younger than me, and never seemed to grasp onto something long enough to truly experience the possible longevity. He was all passion, no endgame.

“Where is the Princess?”

“You don’t know what’s like, Impa.” He crooned as he plucked at his lyre. “To love unrequitedly is simultaneously the purest form of expressive lyricism and the most painful human curse.”

I rolled my eyes. “You fall in love every other day of the week back home. I’m sure there is a girl there that’ll appreciate all of this.”

I gestured to his general being, because while not ugly by any means, I did not know of many girls that appreciated his level of eccentrics.

“None of them are of mortal and Goddess hybrid, concocted into the most beautiful and divine form. Her voice is like silk, her eyes are like the finest of jewels, and her lips and curvatures-”

“-Alright, lover boy, I asked where she is, not your borderline masturbatory thoughts of her.”

He flushed, “I shoulder never defile my lady love with such impurity; she is of holy descent, need I remind you?”

“And she is also a living, breathing girl, need I remind _you_?” I emphasized.

He considered that and released a heavy sigh. “The truth behind my woe is that she was returning from a field survey with _him_ last I saw her.”

 _Him_ = Link in Lawrence tongue.

“He’s always with her.”

“Not like that.” He slumped in his seat. “I cannot see what I’ve done aside from give my human soul over to the passions of love to deserve such sorrow.”

And being a little bit of a creep.

I narrowed my eyes at him, but I did not pretend to be oblivious at what he was hinting at. There was no sense. I’d heard the rumors. Everyone spewed the rumors without any founded proof from even before Link and Zelda officially met. There was something damning Lawrence’s confession, for up until this moment, he seemed pretty optimistic in his endeavor of claiming Zelda’s heart.

Even if he never truly stood a chance.

I pushed past him and left him crying in my wake, and I walked across an outer bridge that was just beneath Zelda’s terrace to her bedroom. On it, low and behold, after all of that searching, stood she and Link. Any orange in the sky was now replaced with a periwinkle that grew darker by the minute. A rising moon was making its way above and cast its light on the duo. They stood a fair distance apart and if my ears were correct, were speaking of frogs and horses?

“-well, I’d say the frog-elixir worked.” Link coughed and looked at her from beneath a mop of hair that appeared rather windblown. Did he seem… Nervous? Or bashful? It was tough to tell.

I had to crane my neck to get a decent look at them, but it seemed the Princess was smug.

“Not that you needed it to begin with.” Zelda’s voice was warm and teasing and she dusted something off of his shoulder on instinct. He reached up and caught her hand.

“You did take my advice on soothing your mount quite well.” Hearing Link was always strange, since he hardly ever spoke. His voice had a husky quality to it at the moment, but also endeared.

“And I presume you understand how I truly feel. The question is, how do you?”

He only nodded and swallowed heavily. “I liked it.”

Zelda took a step closer to him and her voice was low. “Yes, I’ll be sure to jot down this experiment as satisfactory.”

It was impossible to truly understand any of this out of context. I felt like a little weasel standing beneath her balcony, listening in on a private conversation between she and her knight, but I needed to know the truth for their own sakes.

“I… Uh, know you’re nervous about tomorrow.” He blurted out and rubbed the back of his neck.

She drew back just a tad, and her face shifted back into its pensive familiarity that it grew accustomed to lately. She began to twist her hands in that nervous way she always did. Link didn’t allow her to retreat too far into herself, though, because he carefully placed his hands over hers, stilling them. She looked back to his eyes intently, for once, not the one guiding the conversation.

“And I know you don’t want to hear any assertion that it’s all going to be okay or how you’re not alone… Even if you’re not.” He paused. “But tomorrow doesn’t have to be all bad.”

She looked at him quizzically and I’ll admit, I was also confused where he was going with this. I guess there’s a reason the boy doesn’t jump to words as his first line of defense too often. Instead, he released one of her hands and reached into his pack to retrieve a small, polished, wooden box.

“It’s your birthday too.” He shrugged and wow, it was painful how nonchalant he was trying and failing at being.

Zelda, completely stunned, gently took the box from him and opened it. They were so quiet that even I could hear a soft and whimsical melody flowing in time with the gentle breeze. Link watched her nervously as her eyes remained fixated on the little box. I could not see if there was anything in it from here, or really gage Zelda’s reaction, but Link kept talking.

“It’s a music box. I know how much you enjoy those ancient and historical songs so I asked Lawrence what he believed your favorites were and… Well, he was not eager on telling me for some reason. So, I had to guess. But Cherry and Robbie helped me make it.”

There was a moment of silence save for the sweet sounds of the box and I’ll be honest, my own heart was thumping in my chest at the gesture. I always knew there was more to him than a serious face and skill with a sword, but something like this was so unexpected of him.

When Zelda still hadn’t said anything, I craned my head around to try and see what she was feeling. Sure enough, she was crying.

Link’s eyes widened in fear and immediate concern. “Hey, hey don’t cry. I know it doesn’t sound very good, but-”

“-No, no!” She cut in hurriedly, squeezing his hand. “It’s beautiful. I _love_ it. It’s just… This is the nicest gift anyone’s ever given to me.”

I had seen Zelda be gifted gold and diamonds and all things pretty as various offerings from her people and from nobles in the effort to save Hyrule. That being said, I had to agree with her.

Her eyes were still glassy, but full of adoration for her appointed knight, who was beginning to understand that her tears did not come from a place of disliking her gift, but quite the opposite. He reached over and gently took her face in his strong and capable hands, rubbing his thumbs along her cheekbones to clear the tears from her face. It was clear that he recognized just how precious this girl was.

He said something, too soft for my ears down below to register, but his voice was sweet and thick. Whatever he said, he didn’t speak for very long. Instead, when I looked up, he had confirmed my gnawing suspicions and kissed her, long and slow. The Princess still held her gift with thoughtful care but leaned up into the kiss eagerly and parted her lips for him.

The music switched to another soft ballad between them.

This was obviously not the first kiss these two had shared. Hell, this probably wasn’t the first kiss these two shared _today_ based on their practiced affection. Of course, I’d seen the way they interacted before and knew they’d grown close, even translated some of their behavior into flirting. I just didn’t know how far along they’d gotten.

I had to really strain my neck, but it seemed as though Zelda had Link pinned against the doorway.

Very far, from the seams of it.

Goddess-dammit.

I owed my sister 50 rupees.

Well, Link said it himself, Zelda did not want to hear words of encouragement right now, unless they were from the Goddess, herself. My intrusion would likely only bring her more doubt. Better to let them have this moment, because judging from the way the sky darkens quicker and the monsters rage louder, it is indiscernible how many moments they will be allowed after tomorrow.

No matter. I will relay my message of hope to the Princess at a later time. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "Run away, go find a lover. Run away, let your heart be your guide. You deserve the deepest of cover... You belong in that home by and by."


	16. Calamity Ganon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ganon watches with pure euphoria over Zelda’s failure, overseeing her wrath and cackles at Link’s attempts to calm her down.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Associated with Memory #15: Return of Calamity Ganon
> 
> Mood-setting song: “We Fight” by Dashboard Confessional
> 
> "We earned what we could from the ground up and tried to lift the whole damn crowd up. So we fight our way in and we fight our way out."

At last. I am beyond the confines of corporeal failure. The chains of flesh and bones no longer lock me to this cavern. I laugh at the thought. How could they ever think simple magic and locks could store _me_ away? How could they think they would have enough time?

Their hubris would be their undoing.

The very thought of that horrid day strengthened any doubt within me. Failure is the greatest teacher of all. I gazed down upon my empty shell of Gerudo man below, hollow and worthless. The jewelry from that life still hung low, as if they left it there to mock my previous greed.

Ah, that was what killed me that time. That’s right. It was greed. The Zelda then utilized that to her advantage and reeled me into a trap that was sprung by her Hero. I could not deny that I was suspicious, but I wanted the riches of the castle more. I cared more for wealth than I did for the mission.

I was a fool.

A mortal, blithering, waste of an incarnate.

Finally, my holy ancestor deemed me worthy of return. I now see why. I have been harvesting like a disease that will defeat any previous immunity. The hate that I compiled into my sealed chest exacerbated into its own creature, into it’s own destruction, so much so that monsters began to sprout up and a cult has developed after me.

A _Calamity_.

If I had a heart, it would race at the thought of what my mind’s eye showed me. It was the only gift I was given after being conquered by that _bitch_ and her little _bitch_ oh so long ago. I saw destruction and power. I saw visions of me ripping apart the hope that was so steadily cultivated. I saw how I infested the land that once belonged to me and made them all sorry for denying my power in the past. I saw the Hero fall!

Finally, an end to this putrid cycle. The Hero fell and not even at my feet. No, everything about this incarnation is weaker in general. Perhaps, Hylia and her Hero’s blood runs thin. To know that it would be I to reign triumph and stop this cycle forever. To know I was so close. After all this time…

10,000 years.

They had 10,000 years.

And they still aren’t ready for me.

I’ll admit, I give them the extra time. I was fully ready for days, but was determined to make my appearance something for the history books. I watched as the Princess of Hyrule, easily the most pathetic of her name, marched up to Mt. Lanayru with her scrawny knight at her side.

I watched her scream and beg and almost pass out from the cold, demanding _Hylia_ show her some sign of her dedication. Hah, what true Goddess would abandon her offspring? No matter how pitiful of an excuse for Goddess-born. No one is a bigger failure than that wretched Goddess.

Could you imagine? The Princess of Hyrule dying before getting to see me kill everyone she loves? That would be the true tragedy in the making. The knight, Link, saves her, of course, as he always has and will.

She sobbed into her Hero’s chest and it was evident this was not the first time the little brat cried to him, because he seemed to know just what to do. He _kissed_ her square on the mouth. How scandalous and even more tantalizing. In all my lifetimes, I cannot remember the Princess and Hero convening as such. Was Hylia’s denial and the failure of their line solely because two teenagers gave into their urges?

That’s even more pathetic than falling to greed.

He whispered comforting words to her between kisses to her wet hair.

_“You are everything you need to be.”_

I had to hold back a laugh. She was going to need to be a hell of a lot more than a weepy book nerd if she wanted to stand a chance against my prowess.

It took her a ridiculous amount of time to calm her cries. I did not complain for her lack of haste, because it allowed me to bask in this pre-show disaster that was the supposed heroes of Hyrule. I sneered at their stupidity and reveled in their hopelessness.

 _“I can’t help but feel… Something terrible is about to happen.”_ She admitted through trembles that were not from the cold.

She sensed me. Oh, Princess Zelda senses that I am here and awakened, even if she cannot put it into words. I haunted her dreams the other night, just because I could. Why not give the little girl a taste for what was to come? Why not brag just a little to spark the drama of it all?

The Hero regarded her with foolish softness and care. He should hate her. He should hate her just as she hates herself for not becoming with the other daughters of Hylia could be. He should take haste and run if he weren’t such a damned fool like the rest of the _noble_ Heroes before him.

_“You will awaken your power, Zelda. I believe that. But maybe it’s not meant to be like this. There’s got to be another way.”_

_“I’ve never… this goes beyond anything I’ve ever studied.”_

_“So, we’ll do more. We’ll research more. I’m not giving up on you.”_

Hero, you are only making my job that much more enjoyable by building her up like she has an ounce of hope. There is no power in her veins and she knows it. She cannot hear the sword at which you wear on your back. She cannot omit divine light. She cannot save the land that has her family’s name.

Love. The life-force of all fools.

Some ancient retellings regard it as the very fuel of Hylia and her Hero’s success. If that were so true, why did he fall in battle? Why did he lose?

A brilliant thought bloomed across my entire being. This was all meant to be a recreation of the original tale. With a dark ending. The Hero would fall and I would win. Love would fall short as it always had.

I let these two have their moment by the fire. The Princess no longer cried and instead adapted a hopelessness about her. The Hero tried his best to bring her back from the gray place I had lured her, but it was futile. She would not come out of this with the power she sought. I have seen the failure. I have seen his dying face and the way I control Hyrule without a Princess or Hero in sight.

_“I hate that I have to tell them I failed. Again.”_

Oh, the Champions are awaiting her return. This will be sweet. I especially looked forward to seeing the Gerudo Champion’s disappointment.

_“I’ll be right there.”_

Heh, for now.

_“I’m sorry you don’t have a partner in this that’s more-”_

_“-Hey, no apologies.”_ He ran a thumb along her cheek to discard a tear. _“I wouldn’t trade you even for the Goddess, herself.”_

That got her to practically lunge at him in an embrace that was sealed with another lengthy kiss. Yes, enjoy your pointless teenage love while you still have it. It was getting gross, though. There they were in broad daylight, a Calamity on the horizon, and they couldn’t seem to stop trading spit.

Finally, they walked down the mountain hand-in-hand until nearing the bottom where they separated into their socially acceptable distance. The rest of the Champions awaited them with hope.

Could those idiots not read her disheartened face? Were they that blind behind their own pretension that they could not read the signs? The Zora seemed to grasp the message instantly, but that was because her ‘power’ was centralized on empathy.

Almost as pathetic as love.

The Rito had the audacity to judge her, as though he would truly save all of Hyrule with his measly flying abilities. He said some lousy sentiment to fit in with the others. Urbosa of the Gerudo was still somehow confident in the Princess’ rise to power, which was hilarious.

Between she and the Hero, there was enough foolishness to harvest as fuel for the entire realm. She is a disgrace to my former form. Their town no longer allows male access thanks to me. Good for them. They’re too weak to handle what it would mean if a male leader took charge.

They couldn’t handle it the first time.

I made the leader be my wife, but she was useless. She could not bear me children to pass on my lineage. I acquired many women over time that could not resist my strong aura. They did not deny me of my greatest hope and desire, but none could perform the task. None could handle me. I died a fruitless death without anyone to carry on my name but the trail of broken women that rejoiced at my loss.

I shall never forget that betrayal. After everything I gave them.

This… Urbosa was just as foul as the rest of them. She walked around half-dressed with muscles of steel as though she could, as though she was not meant to belong to anyone but herself. Progressive eras, my ass. I would make her pay. I would make all of these presumptuous Champions play.

Almost… Almost there…

It was when the Zora started spewing on about some source of her power that I grew far too impatient. Now was the time. We had just the right amount of hope dangled in front of Princess Zelda for it to be snatched away. She would lose it all! She would lose her family, friends, love, and any last remaining shreds of self-respect.

That did not seem like all that heavy of a loss.

When I activated myself and burst through the ceiling of the castle, I gave no time for anyone to fight, but I played the entire encounter in slow motion for my own pleasure. First, the army was obliterated in one swift swoop. I got to see thousands of men- young and old- suffer the excruciating pain of my animus and give their lives over quicker than supposed _noble warriors_ should. Warriors of losing battles, maybe.

In a spiraling motion, I took out the cooks, the servants, the maids, and happily, any Sheikah that lingered on the castle grounds like the mold that they were. That was all they were to me, a fungus that was not worthy of my spit let alone my focus.

I was also pleased to note that I managed to incinerate a Yiga coward that failed to die by the Hero’s blade as per design. He watched his brothers in arms be murdered by that insolent Hero and took no stand! He deserved to die. I am thankful for my weak minions, but not of the timid.

My last advance was on the King of Hyrule and his trusty Knight, the father of the Hero. I’ll admit, I paused and took a moment to look at them, to let them see exactly what was about to murder them, to see the fear in their eyes.

It angered my blackened soul that the Knight showed none. He unsheathed his sword and made a move to strike, but I killed him before he could even breathe again. It was all too easy. I was too grand for them. When I moved through his chest and disabled his heart, I saw what went through his mind in those final moments.

A stunning and glowing woman, fair and voluptuous with violet eyes… The woman he could never have or never tried to have. She was smiling at him from afar, perhaps a want in her own eyes.

Another woman, plainer in nature save for her bright blue eyes. There was kindness in his heart towards her, but he lacked passion. Still, he looked forward to seeing her again.

A boy- the boy that would become the Hero- at a younger time… Peaceful and swimming with the Zora.

None of this seemed quite right to me. I was not to be some mercy mission that removed people from their already miserable lives. I was sure to savor his last seconds of breath by forcing him to see pain. I showed him the woman of his true affections spewing with blood and screaming for her life. I showed his own wife crying hysterically at his choice to force their son into the military. I showed his bitter relationship with his son all stemming because his son got to have his Princess while he never dared to try. I also managed to slip in that it would be his downfall in the end.

Afterwards, he drowned in the gooey pit of malice with a stricken expression on his stone face. That made me smile.

The King had no time to react either and soon, I inhabited his mind as well.

_“Look at how you’ve failed…”_

_“You won’t win!” He insisted. “Zelda will-”_

_“I’ve already won. I have seen the future that you have so clearly feared. Your weak daughter will not get her power and you know it. The Hero will die. The research, religion, and haste… It was all for nothing.”_

_He gasped._

_“Look at how your kingdom burns.”_

I showed him the images of their precious Guardians, now acting under my control, and how they wreaked havoc on anything in their path, leaving the town surrounding the castle in nothing but ash and blood. Plenty of blood.

_“Nobody is spared from your inadequacy. Your entire life has been meaningless. Second fiddle.”_

_“Stop it. Please, I’m begging you.”_

_“Second to your wife, who you only outlived to what? Destroy her legacy? Ruin your daughter? Kill her Goddess?”_

_“I didn’t mean-”_

_“Second to your knight; only chosen by the Queen for your blood. She never indulged in her true desires, but she never loved you either.”_

_“That’s not-”_

_“Second to your own pathetic excuse of an offspring, who at the very least will stand in fight while you prop her in front of you to avoid any real responsibility. She will fall just as hard as her father with only a spec more dignity.”_

_“I know… Please, just don’t hurt her.”_

_“You, King Rhoam, are a failure and do not deserve to die. Not yet.”_

So, I took him with me. I ripped the soul right from his body as his curdling screams echoed through the now lifeless walls of the castle. I buried him in the pockets of my darkness and let him choke on the malice but never once let him experience the sweet release of death. He was the true creator of my success for stamping out all hope in his daughter. Why not allow him to celebrate with me?

These foolish mortals. They truly believed that their established hierarchy was anything to sneeze at. His sweet remorse and regret only strengthened by bond to his castle. Even though I knew all was dead, I made another round to display the severity of my power, wiping out any archive of the royal family. They would not be worth remembering after I was fully established.

Despite the certainty of my release in Hyrule, I could not step away from the castle just yet, not entirely. I needed to thwart off their last line of defenses before I was able to see over the horizon yet again. My first stop, undoubtedly, would be Gerudo Town.

Speaking of, a shout disturbed my fantasy. I should know better than to remain anything but razor-focused. I knew from experience how quickly a kingdom could slip between your fingers and how unwise it be to underestimate the enemy.

Even if the sight before the castle was laughable.

Each of the Champions wielded their beast with a strength and cockiness that I would find admirable if it weren’t in an attempt to defeat me. Even still, the bigger the fight, the more worthy the accolades would be.

And, oh, this is especially rich. The Princess and the Knight are _running away_. Well, the knight is running. The Princess is more or less being dragged like a ragdoll. She was catatonic and for a moment, I was able to look into her soul. Sure, she and her beloved Hero were connected (in more ways than one), but I was the other part of the equation. I was part of her as well.

_“Would you like to know how your father begged for mercy?”_

She did not respond, but her lips parted and her eyes were blown wide. I know she heard me.

I pulled Rhoam from my pocket. I’ve never been a fan of keeping prisoners of war. They only weigh you down and act as another mouth to be fed. I had darkness to spare, but this would taste much sweeter.

I raised him above the castle where all the Champions and the heroes could see. Anyone not a victim of the Guardians’ wrath could see his struggle. He clutched at the black bind around his neck and kicked his legs in desperation. He grunted and wheezed as it only got impossibly tighter and he increased in altitude.

 _“I’ve got my sights on him, I’ll try to-”_ The putrid Rito swooped in on that gigantic mechanical bird, but I collected two birds with one stone, if you will, and in one breath, I entombed the warrior to the very mechanism he captained.

He screamed in pain as I invaded not only his mind, but that of the Divine Beast. An extension of myself took his place as the commander of the beast. It was feral and wild and nothing of what this land was used to. Instead of saving the king, I made it so he took Rhoam’s head clean off.

The Hero threw the Princess over his shoulder when she became even more impossible to move. I was pleased to be the reason she stared at another dead parent before her. For a sweet moment, I saw her thoughts. I saw a very dark and chilled evening full of cold sweat and anxiety. I saw the King’s knight at her door with a saddened look in his eyes. She was young and very small, but knew what that look meant. Somehow, she’d evaded him, because he was a fool with a sword in the end, and she caught, with unwavering certainty, a look at her mother’s blood-soaked body- eyes open in horror and mid-scream.

And now, she saw her Father’s head roll.

She was useless and the Guardians would take them both out. They were not worthy of me.

The Champions, however, I could spare the time for.

Judging from what I saw of the Rito, he was not as arrogant at the heart as he was in life. A shame, because now all he’ll ever be known for was a pompous flop. No one will remember his vast training or the losses he overcame. No one would honor him at dinner, because no one liked him all that much. All he ever really wanted was to be liked.

Another defeat at his part.

The remaining three seemed earnest in avenging their friend. The pilot of the elephant was next. She kept trying to heal the bird. Ignorant nobody! Did she not see the ease at which I destroyed her friend? I should not be surprised, because as she cried when I delivered a similar fate to her, I saw what she was thinking of too. She really believed she stood a chance with the Hero of Hyrule.

 _“He never wanted you.”_ I said through a smug grin and because I could, I showed her the memory of the Hero and Princess at the Spring of Wisdom.

It did not affect her.

_“Reciprocation is not a requirement for loving someone.”_

Oh, she was even more hopeless than I could ever make her. She just did not realize it. And yet, she would not stop thinking about this Hero and their childhood together, particularly of a quiet day near the water. She stared at him like he was the moon and he ate some sort of sandwich like it was the last meal he’d ever had.

She was psychotic.

I put her out of her reverie quickly. The smile she gave me would haunt me forever.

 _“He’ll save us all.”_ She whispered.

The Goron and his lizard tried their hand at disturbing me, but I’d already possessed his feeble mind before he could so much as attempt to bring up his shields… Not that they would have worked anyway.

 _“You gave your entire life up and for what?”_ I hissed. _“Front row seats to the end of the world.”_

He wheezed as I clutched him. The brute swung his fists a few times as though he could beat away the shadows the suffocated him.

_“At least… At least I have a life to die for…”_

He could not see my eyes, but I narrowed them. Was that supposed to affect me? Was I supposed to yearn to be a part of the living again? An all powerful demon wishing to be amongst the bleeding and the crying… Never.

_“You will die as you have lived. A fool.”_

But never a coward. I could not discern which was worth.

Thunder and lightning rocked the castle and I knew… Oh, I _knew_ what was coming and it was tickling me just thinking about it. Why they ever asked a Gerudo to be a glorified pilot was beyond me. The fact that Urbosa said yes was only further proof that the civilization was on the decline long before I’d ever arrived again.

 _“Ganondorf,”_ She addressed me by my earthly name. _“You hide behind magic and those castle walls. I thought you were a Gerudo.”_

It pleased me that she knew of me too. I’m sure I was the very cause of their amendments of living. To be a disgrace is almost better than being honored. The honored are eventually forgotten while the examples are always remembered as what not to be.

I took in her full appearance. She was not entirely foul as a Gerudo woman. She was tall and muscular with arms that could crush a moblin’s skull with ease. Her eyes were clear and stern, though I believe I brought that out of her.

 _“You would make a fine Queen.”_ I said.

 _“I would sooner rot in Hell a thousand times over before lying with you.”_ She sneered. _“You are a thorn to our people’s history- to our race!”_

 _“Your race is weak.”_ I said and I forced Thunderblight Ganon to appear before her, sizzling and crackling with my own determination and fury.

_“Show me you are different.”_

She tried and I would have let her have a slower or painful death if she declined, but I knew she would not. I knew she would take any challenge presented to her. No one was in any shape to beat my creations, to beat me. The elemental Ganons took over as my Champions, but actually worthy of the title.

As Urbosa faded from consciousness, bleeding and scorched on the floor and staring upwards in pure hatred of me, I waved at her and showed, only for a moment, the image of my Gerudo face.

 _“Now who’s the thorn to our race?”_ I asked.

No matter, she would be by my side one way or another, forced to roam the desert and attack the very people she was supposed to love.

After adding all four of the Divine Beasts to my army, I realized there was just one thing left to do: wait for the Hero and Princess to die. I sensed that their time was very limited as Guardians closed in on them.

And then, there would be peace.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "Maybe we found a way to make some tracks. We didn't snicker and turn our backs. We just keep digging in, and digging in, and giving back."


	17. The Hero(es)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They all would have died for their Princesses, but they never had to.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Associated with Memory #16: Despair
> 
> Mood-setting song: "I Will Follow You Into the Dark" by Death Cab for Cutie
> 
> "Love of mine... Someday you will die. But I'll be close behind. I'll follow you into the dark."

I’m no God.

I have no excessive power or might that extends beyond the capabilities of this earth. I do not know what possessed the fates in blessing me with even a _moment_ with her. All I know is that the moment I laid eyes on my beloved Goddess, I suddenly understood what unwavering loyalty meant. I’d die for her if I had to. And that… That was supposed to be the end of it, by her words. Ours souls would be forever be entwined so that our ancestors could have the opportunities we were not afforded.

Nobody else was meant to die.

I turned to my other sons- those that died young and old who had once inhabited my spirit and wielding the sword that was designed to seal all darkness. Alongside them, fought many beautiful maidens of mortal flesh, but Goddess blood- none of which struggled for their power before.

But now… This was not how it was foretold.

Ganon has risen once again from the ashes. This time, he takes the form of a demonic cloud of pure evil. Nothing else exists within him but that. If there was ever a human weakness within Demise’s spirit, it is gone in this incarnation. It’s as though Demise simply sent the morsels of his very bleak soul to haunt Hyrule.

My Goddess’s daughter has nothing to give but herself. And the Hero? This incarnation will never allow that for as long as he stands and breathes. He has something that those behind me never did. He has the physical and emotional love from his Goddess-incarnate.

He’s loved her in ways I was never allowed- in ways none of these boys behind me were ever able to love their Princess’s. If they didn’t die alone, they married another- sometimes settling and sometimes not. The Princess always passed on her lineage, of course, but rarely out of true love rather than obligation and passive agreement.

Demise knows this. It was never a solidified curse that would prevent the Hero and Princess of Hyrule from indefinitely joining, but it was certainly never made easy.

As Hylia and I’s incarnates race through the forest away from stealthy Guardians that creep up on their every move, hungry for desolation.

“They’re running away from the castle…” The Hero of Time gasps. The boy cannot fathom saying no to a fight, no matter the odds. I must admit that very few of my versions have ever said no to battle, but the circumstances here were everything.

“He’s protecting the Princess.” The Hero of the Skies knows much about this sentiment. Aside from this wild-Hero, he certainly came the closest being the very first incarnation of myself. The early politics of a dawning nation ended up being the nail in the coffin for them.

In fact, humanity had a lot more to do with the wedge in the love story than anything else.

“But… You said you saw power in her.” Time said to me.

I stroked my chin, which like the rest of the men, was completely absent of a beard. We all looked remarkably related, despite none of these boys being from the same bloodline, but had our own differences too.

“I did see power in the girl.” I said. “It is dim, but it glows brighter and brighter by the minute.”

I wondered if her own hysteria was preventing her from feeling it. Did the Hero not notice this change in his Princess? Was he not paying attention to her power? Or did his mind’s eyes set its sights on something else altogether.

_“Zelda, come on!” He urged._

She made no sound of disagreement or agreement. Her breath was labored from holding back her imminent breakdown and the words that would not come. It was also worth mentioning that they were running in the rain, which was far from an easy task in her prayer dress.

They were certainly heading in the opposite direction of where Ganon was. To be specific, it looked like they were heading for Hateno, which the only significance I knew of was in regards to where the Hero’s mother was from.

_“Link-” She said desperately._

He looked back at her briefly, curiously, and it was then I knew that _he_ knew. And yet, he kept guiding her forward. He knew her powers were coming, but still he directed her away from the Calamity.

“What kind of Hero-” Time was already starting again, but I raised a hand to hush him.

“-Sky is right. He’s choosing the Princess.”

“I’m sorry, _what_?” The Hero of the Winds blanched. This boy was considerably young when he fell- whereas all of the other heroes had at least made it to be men one day. Lost at sea… A true shame, particularly to his family.

“I didn’t realize that was an option.” Time said, with a certain look of horror in his eyes. Perhaps, he was reminiscing of a Princess- or a certain version of a Princess- of his own.

“Nothing is presented in the form of options. We make our choices by what we can make of the situation.” The Hero of Twilight finally spoke up. He was ever the most mature and always most likely to have a darker spin on life. He’d loved his Princess very nearly and knew of her returned affections, but she’d told him point blank that she could not put her kingdom through a scandal so large after a Twilight invasion.

As for what he’d chosen? He tried living a country life yet again, but he soon returned to the castle and protected the Princess (later a Queen) for the rest of his days. Incidentally, they were quite long days.

“But she can fight! If she’s placed in front of Ganon she could win!” The Hero of Legend said indignantly. “My Princess would never want me to choose her over the good of the entire kingdom.”

“Tetra might.” The Hero of the Winds muttered and when Legend glowered at him, he shrugged. “She was fine with letting everyone be kidnapped before I got to her!”

“Tetra rescued _you_ if I remember correctly.” Time said.

“Not before I rescued her!”

“ _Anyway_ , what’s going to happen? We’ve never run from battle to save the Princess. Usually we go storming in.” Legend said.

“We will see.” I said, still pondering. “For all we know, this is how it was meant to happen.”

The Princess’s muddy hand slipped from the Hero’s and she flew back and onto the ground. Her soaked hair fell in her eyes like a thick curtain and she dug her nails in the grass until her knuckles were white. I could see a thick glow emanating from her like hot lava that was daring to burst.

_“How did it come to this?” She whispered._

Instead of scooping her up and continuing, the Hero of the Wild turned and slowly knelt in front of her, eyes full of heart and concern.  

_“The Divine Beasts… The Guardians… They’ve all turned against us.” The despair in her voice only increased the more she spoke._

I remember the day I died. I got to stare up at a crystal sky in the end. There wasn’t a cloud there, but I’d still felt rain. I knew it had to be the tears of my Goddess and beloved, Hylia. On even that day, when I knew I’d never gotten the chance to properly love her, I did not feel despair as I do for these two broken souls. These children run away from their destiny for each other and as a valiant fighter I should hate this, but as a lover I understand. I understand what I would do for my Goddess and that includes trading the world for her, no matter how foolish and how much I’d hate myself for it later.

_“It was… Calamity Ganon.” The words hurt her to say. “It turned them all against us.”_

Indeed, it did.

_“And everyone- Mipha, Urbosa, Revali, and Daruk… They’re all trapped inside those things.”_

The Hero gazes back at her, his Adam’s apple bobbing in an attempt to quell his own emotions. He was unsure of what to say in regards to their fallen friends. They’d seen them die with their own eyes and suffer fates worse than death in the sense that they are now a part of the destruction- pawns in Ganon’s game. It was beyond cruel.

_“It’s all my fault.” She sobs. “Our only hope for defeating Ganon is lost all because I couldn’t harness this cursed power!”_

“Why couldn’t she have her powers sooner?” Winds asked.

“The fates made it this way for a reason.” Twilight sighed. “Even we cannot always see the reasoning why they allow what they do.”

“It doesn’t seem fair.”

No, it doesn’t.

_“Everything- everything I’ve done up until now… It was all for nothing. So, I really am just a failure!”_

What was it her father said? An heir to nothing. My heart ached for this young girl. I wanted to sob for all of the Princesses in their strife, as they were all reminiscent of my own love, but this one in particular had a cry so painful to bear witness to that I wanted nothing more than to knock on the heaven’s doors to plead with them to make this all go away.

As I looked at the other Heroes, they seemed to feel the same way.

“It isn’t her fault.” Time said. “If anything the Hero-”

“-Don’t start on that again.” Twilight said. “It’s not either of their faults, but I know what that’s like.”

“It definitely feels like your fault when you fail.” Time agreed. “I would know.”

“We all would.”

_“All my friends… The entire kingdom… My father most of all… I tried and I failed them all. I’ve left them… all to die.”_

She fell into the Heroes arms with rib-cracking sobs so hard that his body shook at her impact. He fastened his arms around her tight and tried his best to shelter her away from her own inner turmoil, kissing her head and rubbing her back. Meanwhile, his own inadequacy was creeping up as well.

“The kingdom’s never died like this, sir.” Legend said.

I don’t know why this one _insists_ on all the formality but I allow it. “I know.”

“Evil has won before but never like this. Is… Do you think it’s possible that this could be… The end?” Twilight asked.

They were all thinking it. I must admit. There is a lot different about this time around. The Princess was born with her powers, the Hero and the Princess gave into their feelings, they ran away from battle, the entire kingdom stood to be destroyed in the form of these technological beasts.

_“We’ve got to keep moving.” He said just barely over the sound of the rain._

_“They’re close.” She tensed._

_“How do you-” His eyes widened just a fraction again and he opened his mouth to speak._

Before given the opportunity to do so, a red bolt of light crashed around them, striking the ground beneath them and sending them flying. Of course, the rapidity of the Guardians made it impossible for them to scurry away and out of sight. It was designed to be able to outrun someone as sneaky as Ganon, but was unfortunately having the same effect the Hero and Princess.

There was something cold and callous about this turn of events. To have gigantic metallic creations of human design rove over the world and destroy those that made them felt like an abomination in and of itself. This Princess had dedicated so much time to discovering technological advancements in order to combat a possible calamity. She did so much. She wanted more than anything for her efforts to be enough.

The Hero stood between the Guardians and the Princess whenever he could.

_“Link, leave. I’m the one they want.”_

Untrue, but she was valiant for trying.

_“They want both of us. Stay behind me.” He ordered._

There were so many of them. Too many. I’d seen how Robbie designed them and Link had too, but he didn’t waver, not for a moment. He unsheathed the Master Sword with an eloquence matching a legend as well as his shield.

He was able to keep the Princess from taking a single hit, but the Hero, himself, was struck so many times that his shield exploded in his hands. His legs were unsteady and he only continued on. He took his Princess by the hand and they traversed farther in foreboding silence that neither acknowledged.

Then, of course, more Guardians appeared.

“You don’t think…” Legend mumbled to Time.

“No way! It hasn’t happened for _real_ before, you know?”

But the Hero only got weaker and weaker with every blow. He’d settled for using a discarded potlid as a shield in that uncanny way he’d done when he first encountered a Guardian while Robbie was hastily working on it. When she noticed and remembered this, Princess Zelda’s eyes widened in a mixture of amazement and horror. They were running out of resources and the Hero was running out of energy.

_“We’ve got to get you to Hateno or a stable or-”_

_“I can’t go anywhere.” He heaved. “You go.”_

_“I’m not leaving you.” She said with a fierceness that could only be described as Queenly._

_“You need to end this.” He said._

_“Not without you. That’s how it is foretold and that is how it will be.” She demanded._

He looked at her- incredulous at her defiance and in admiration of her bravery. He loved her more than anything or anyone, but in this moment, it seemed very apparent that he’d never told her. It also became incredibly clear that he never would. He and I at the same time came to the terrifying realization that yes, the Hero would and could die before evil was defeated.

The Princess saw the change in his demeanor and tried her best to stop him, but he did as Heroes do and kept pushing through the good fight, determined to live his last breath for her if it meant giving her a fighting chance.

And breathe for her, he did.

“Perhaps, this is how it was meant to be.”

“The end of the cycle?” The Hero of the Skies asked. “How could that be? It’s a triforce. That can’t be true if there’s no courage!”

“There is no triforce in this story, son.” I said in realization. “The Hero never had it and Ganon never did either.”

“So who…”

I looked at the sobbing girl on the ground. “Maybe… Courage… Wisdom… Power… It can all lie in one soul.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "No blinding light or tunnels to gates of white. Just our hands clasped so tight, waiting for the hint of a spark."


	18. Kass's Teacher

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lawrence, the court poet, and later Kass’s mentor, does as he is told and takes Link to the Shrine of Resurrection.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Associated with Memory #17: Zelda's Awakening
> 
> Mood-setting song: "Hallelujah" by the Canadian Tenors
> 
> "She broke your throne and she cut your hair... And from your lips she drew the Hallelujah."

I can remember when I realized I was under a different influence of living than my fellow Sheikah around me. Where they saw a rose, I saw a divine display of the Goddess’ love for her earth and people. I saw opportunity in passing that love to another, filling their day with a warm glee. I prescribed to the notion of the romantics. I committed to their code as if it was my religion. In many ways, that was what it came to be.

And I fell in love. I was so lucky to have fallen in love as many times as I did. It didn’t always result the way I’d wished it to, but every single one of them landed in my catalogue of compositions.

Delilah, my first or Caroline, the most beguiling. There was Lisa the recluse and Mindy the hussy. Klara with the interesting birthmark and Jane with the lovely singing voice. Albert, who was something very different and Rachel, who was a lot of the same. And then Albert’s cousin, Rico… The toe-curling mistake.

None inspired me the way the delightful Princess of Hyrule captured my heart.

 _Zelda_.

Oh, just thinking of her name caused my heart to race before I even caught my first glimpse of her. Many relayed that she was kind and regal in spirit and when she smiled, it confirmed her lineage. When I was recruited on the spot from one of the King’s representatives, I didn’t sleep for days in anxiousness over meeting her.

When I first laid eyes on her, a year ago, everyone else paled in existence. Every single moment felt like a song begging to be composed. Every laugh, utterance, breath sounded more pleasant than anything I could create. My hands were just that of a tainted mortal and did not deserve her. No one deserved her.

And yet, the Goddess blessed me with the sight of her incarnate every day. I played for her while she studied or performed certain rituals. I was positive to always look my best whenever I was to be in the Princess’ presence. I would not allow a fray hair or a missing button lower my scarce chances with her any further.

I spent my days basking in her glorious persona whenever I could, whether it be from afar or as close as I could get without causing disrespect. I’ll admit, I did tread on the lines of many rules, because the most epic love stories inspired change- good or bad.

For me, it was the ladder.

I was always a lover and never a fighter, but I fought a battle (albeit one-sided) with the silent brute known as Link, the true possessor of Princess Zelda’s affections. I thought she hated him at first and considered myself lucky, because every other girl in the castle was enamored with the Hero. I’d heard of her outbursts and smiled. She was too wise to fall for conventional good looks and power.

I was utterly wrong, of course, in all ways. Link may not deserve her, but I’ll admit that my own personal desire had a lot to do with my dislike of him. He had never been anything but nice to me, after all. This seed of bitterness was planted in the pit of my stomach when they became friends and bloomed into a floral arrangement of resentment. It was an ugly thing.

He was so cavalier with her, not acting the way an inferior should deign to treat his charge- let alone the spirit of a Goddess! He never showed much emotion, but after much inspection, I become incredibly in-tune with his responses. He would tease her! He would tease her in front of everyone… An utter disgrace.

At least, I perceived it as an offense. The Princess, on the other hand, would rove her eyes across every inch of him with much less discretion and would be very pleased with what she saw.

Seeing her lay her tender gaze on him angered me. Why not me? I only dedicated my heart and soul to the means of her music every day. She looked at me less and less as time went on and I felt as though I was slowly being starved. The direction of her gaze was clear, but I still blamed him. He was bewitching her, somehow. I was determined to get to the bottom of it and stooped down to spying on the divine lady and her appointed knight. Oh, the things I saw.

Heated stares across the dinner table… Kissed knuckles after he was wounded in battle… Greedy and roaming hands…

The final chipping of my tolerance was what I saw in the field the day before.

I occasionally contemplated on making my presence known. What always stopped me was my hesitation to rip away the Princess’ happiness like that. It bothered my soul and it drove me to near-madness, but even in the passions of envy, I could not bring myself to taking her out of her reverie. She deserved to be held and smiling and kissed tenderly.

And if she appreciated Link’s more wolfish side (which she _clearly_ did), she deserved that too.

I spied, lied, and even cheated. All of which, were so far outside the confines of what love was supposed to be, that I barely recognized myself. The moment a man has to convince himself that “all was fair in love and war”, he already lost. I should have saw that sooner.

And still, I tried to create the wedge between them again. I tried to make Link look dumb (Zelda apparently finds his less-refined side to be charming), conversed with Link’s Father about his son being distracted (Link clearly ignored his Father’s wishes), and even was what inspired King Rhoam to send Link to Mipha (I feel this only pushed them closer in the end)!  I allowed myself to grow blind to her real wants and needs and while nothing could compare to the devastation that surrounded Hyrule in the Calamity’s vicious wake, I still had my own sins to redeem. What better time than the end of the world?

Old habits do die hard, of course, because I could not help but follow my Princess. This time, not out of selfishness or out of disposition towards her relationship with Link, but to ensure that she was safe.

It was Robbie and I, in the end, trotting on horseback through the plains and watching our beautiful land become entrenched in darkness. The smell of death that clung close to the castle still singed my nose. I had yet to reconcile with the truth that had I not been eagerly awaiting the Princess’ return from Mt. Lanayru, I would have been among the many losses of Hyrule Castle and its surrounding town.

There was no time to mourn, though.

“Lawrence, this way!” Robbie shouted above the blasts of another Guardian’s attack.

I did not even dare to imagine what was going through that man’s head. To think he and Purah (and the Princess) dedicated all of their time and resources into repurposing the mysterious Guardians… Only to have them be the tool in Calamity Ganon’s takeover. To have your own creation be the very cause of killing everything you love.

I was there for poor Miss Cherry’s demise and I will say, I wish to never relive it.

But there really was no time and if Purah hadn’t carried the man out of there by force, he would have been lost to us all as well. A brilliant mind like Robbie’s is critical in times like these, even if he does not see it that way.

The king was gone the moment the Calamity ignited and despite our fierce loyalty to our leader, I felt first for the humble servants of the castle. I felt for the army that blew up instantaneously, rendered useless after lifetimes of training. I felt for those that were on leave and knew that their loved ones were dead.

The Champions fell, usurped by the menacing aura that penetrated all of Hyrule. He broke them like it was nothing. My only solace was the hopes that they felt no pain, but then I saw how those Divine Beasts were possessed and held the same ominous glow of the Guardians and I knew… I knew their souls were trapped in constant agony, forever entombed in the beasts they devoted themselves to. It was not enough for the Calamity to kill them. Instead, he had to see to it that they bore witness to the pain that their beasts were committing.

All of Castletown burned. There were screams, oh and they will plague my nightmares for days, but they were short-lived. Entire lineages were gone. Children, animals, everything. The Calamity dug his teeth into his claim and wrung it out of all charm and happiness.

Regardless, the three of us immediately put our minds on the Princess and her knight, because it was destiny to fight off Ganon. It was to be fate’s decree that they seal him away from this Goddess-forsaken world. I would know. I am but the servant of the ancient historians words and they’ve never failed me before.

“Has anyone seen Zelda?” I practically screamed at any passerby I encountered.

I would not normally be so casual and use her first name, but these were times of crisis!

Everyone was wrapped up in their own tragedies to contemplate another. I saw too many women clutching babies, traumatized and covered in ash. I saw men holding the limp bodies of their families. I saw a few scattered soldiers preparing to die so they could rest among their brethren. I saw how absolutely nothing was spared of loss or torment.

Robbie led me away from them all, keeping his eyes trained on the woods. Thunder cracked in that direction and rain began to fall. Perhaps this was the Goddess’ futile attempt at damping out the fire. Perhaps, I should stop looking for poetry in everything and see this as it was.

“If you were Link and you were trying to get the Princess away from this madness, where would you take her?” Robbie asked. 

A few days ago, when this question could have been asked under different circumstances, I would have delivered a romantic sonnet about my ideal destination of alone time with Princess Zelda.

Those thoughts were eons from my mind.

The forest made the most sense. It was difficult for the Guardians to maneuver around the thicker patches of trees. Sure, they had lasers to remove any obstacle, but it still took time and they would risk putting themselves on fire. It would end in an eventual clearing, though. The Hero would have to fight.

“Come, we must ensure we find them first.”

We did not, unfortunately find them first, or at all until a swell of dramatic light overtook the gray horizon and rushed through the realm with the haste of electricity. In spite of the anguish inspired by the day, a tingle of hope sparked from my heart and my dear friends, I was inspired by love yet again.

By the love of the battle-worn Hero’s sacrifice or by the love that inspired the Princess’ power? Both, most likely. It was something of legends, for certain. The Hero, who was far beyond his limits, still determined to sacrifice his very last breath for the Princess. The Princess, a true vessel of light and love, transferred her immediate need to protect her knight into the sealing power that previous lay dormant inside of her.

“I knew it.” I beamed.

I _had_ known it. I always believed in her even when few others did. Even when my king doubted her, I did not. I knew there was something very golden about Princess Zelda that existed outside of her kindness and good looks.

But the hope was short-lived, for the scene that remained undercut the display of power that wiped the Guardians away. The Princess cradled her knight’s lifeless body in her lap and sobbed into his chest.

This… This could not be. Calamity Ganon was still sinking his greedy teeth into Hyrule. They had not sealed him yet. The legends said _nothing_ of the Hero dying before he could meet his task. A few days ago, I might have suggested the possible illegitimacy of Link being the Hero, but after the display of sheer selflessness I bore witness to, even I could not doubt his heroics.

“Oh no.” Robbie and I said at the same time.

We were shocked from our dazes and launched into action.

“Princess!” I shouted and jolted the tear-stained Princess into bestowing her gaze in our direction.

I could not get to her quick enough. It felt as though I was leaping over the shells of Guardians, who were not even cooled yet. My pulse was pounding in my throat as the wind beat against me.

“Princess, are you alright?” I asked. 

Her gaze turned to steel after sparing a glance at the Hero’s sword. She cradled Link’s head with such tender care and her other hand was over his heart. Her resolve seemed to strengthen.

“Take Link to the Shrine of Resurrection.” She said without hesitance. Tears still streamed down her face, but her voice was steady.

She rubbed a thumb over his heart as she looked at him with such tenderness that I feared she might break, but her intensity never quivered. If anything, looking down at her defeated Hero- her love- fueled the fire that was quickly growing within her.

“If you don’t get him there immediately, we are going to lose him forever. Is that clear?”

It was.

“So make haste and _go_. His life is now in your hands!”

Robbie kept his eyes trained on Link while mine were forever entranced by my Princess’ command. Here, under the dark clouds and amongst a graveyard of Guardians, bruised and dirty, she seemed more Goddess-like than ever before. I realized then that I’d misjudged her just as everyone else had. Sure, I believed in her, because the songs and my own feelings told me to, but not the why. I saw her as a vessel to Hylia when she was much more. The person in question, Zelda, was just as holy and powerful as the Goddess that bore her lineage.

And Link- the Hero- he deserved her.

And he deserved to live.

We had always wondered what the purpose of a Shrine of Resurrection would be. There were no traces of it actually working, but when we entered the shrine with Link in our arms, the room was enlightened by a blueish glow. I wish I could be more articulate in my recollections, but my heart was too busy pounding between my ears from focus. Robbie was a scientist and I was a singer. These were not our typical duties.

“Do you know what we’re doing?” I trembled.

“No.” Robbie admitted. “But based on research… I have a hunch.”

It was more than I could ever have. The songs never sang of this. The ancients never told this dark underbelly of the story. They never told of loss and despair. They never said the Hero would have to die to be reborn again.

“The problem is…” Robbie looked at the small pool in the center of the shrine. “He will not awake for many years.”

“How long?” I asked.

“Half of a century… At least. Maybe longer.”

I tried to handle Link with care. Robbie propped him up while I stripped him down to his briefs. The wounds were ghastly and vast across almost the entire expanse of his body. They told a violent story of a gruesome end with their sharp and deep ridges. Purple and red lined my view of sight and I must have had my horror all over my face, because Robbie placed a hand on my shoulder.

He did not offer any sentiment of comfort though, because it was not either of our places to be offering such.

“It will definitely take longer.” He analyzed, sharing my shock.

We hoisted him up, careful not to make his wounds any worse, and carried him over to the tub. We were just about to dip him in when Purah and Princess Zelda entered the shrine.

“-Those boys better not have screwed anything-” Purah’s snippy voice died on her tongue when she laid her eyes on Link’s broken body.

“Oh _Linky_.” She fretted and was by his side in an instant.

She did not cry as Robbie and I -quietly and discretely- had on our trek to the shrine. There was a moment when I believed that the mask of the tactical researcher would fade and she would emote beyond sarcasm and direction.

It did not… Entirely.

She sniffled and patted Link’s bare shoulder carefully. “We’ll get you back. I’ll see to that. Eventually.”

According to Robbie, _eventually_ was going to be a very long time. The Princess, despite her divine blood and power, would not maintain her youth. Even if she was alive when the Hero returned… If he returned… They would be _at least_ decades apart when he did. Perhaps, he would not die, but he would awake in a world where he could not have his love after having her in the previous one. She would live through hers without him, waiting for him. What kind of existence was that? I know that the Hero and the Princess rarely romantically entangled, but this could not have been why.

Still, we placed Link in the tub. The water had just begun to fill up. Princess Zelda, stained by mud and her love’s blood, knelt at his side and stroked back the hair that clung to his forehead. She seemed to relish every touch as though she knew it would be the last time. Her eyes roamed over his body and the scars that marred his flesh, cataloguing ever detail.

Was she comparing and contrasting to what she’d seen before? We would never know for certain.

As the need to care for discretion or appearances was long passed, she kissed his forehead and then his nose and both of his cheeks before landing on his pale lips. She whimpered a little against his mouth before pressing her forehead to his.

“You are our light.” She whispered, so soft that I could barely understand her. It was impossible to miss the overwhelming tremble that shook through her. Her one hand gently found the spot over his heart, which stood as one of the few places that was free of damage. “ _My_ light.”

She took in a shaky breath before continuing. “Your ability to wield the sealing sword isn’t what makes you that light.”

The Princess carefully moved her hand and bent forward to place a kiss on the spot just over his heart. The water from the tub slowly rose to meet her lips when she made contact with the unscathed skin. It was so instinctual, that it could not have been the first time she’d done it.

“That is.” She squeezed his hand before kissing his forehead. “And this.”

Her tears dripped down to Link’s face and she quickly wiped them away with her hand in a soft caress. She was unwilling to let anything taint that handsome face.

He never exposed his emotions to me, but it was still so odd to see him still as stone in the rising pool of water. There was something in the Hero’s eyes that always gave him away. I’d seek him out to write music or to snoop on his feelings for the Princess and whenever I gleaned anything from my research (stalking), it was always from his eyes.

The windows to the soul.

Judging by the emerald-colored soul that stared down at his still face, it was evident that they were bound in this life and many others. That, of course, was not the sole reason for their union. I am of religious faith and bathe in the rituals of my ancestors, but love is my true master.

My love was broken and I would do just about anything to give it back to her. Seeing her like this, bent over an ancient tub, rendered me sorrowful.

“You have spent this whole time being my strength.” She said, “Now, it is my turn to be yours.”

My heart felt like it was being squeezed to the brink of explosion. All of my previous conquests were nothing in comparison to this. The soft glow of the room that illuminated the bound and tragic souls at its heart, the quiet and salty kisses splayed across Link’s face and chest, and us: the onlookers, trapped in this moment… None of us would ever be the same.

None of Hyrule would be, but the beloved heroes were meant to rise above the ashes and prevail. Not even they could have a happy ending?

Even Purah was crying softly now.

“Hyrule needs you.” Princess Zelda raised Link’s hand and kissed his knuckles, as I’ve seen her do before.

“I need you.” She broke again. “I- I…”

She bent to his ear and inaudibly whispered what we all knew to be true. I just hoped with every fiber of my being, that Link knew. It would be a sin for someone to be loved by Princess Zelda and to never know it. I prayed to every deity I knew that he heard her and took her words as gospel.

“Come back to me, Hero.” She said after gathering her composure. “For now, I need you to rest. I need you to sleep, Link. Don’t worry about me and just focus on recovering. I’ll- I’ll wait for you.”

I wondered if she meant that in more ways than one.

The silence that filled the shrine as the water completely submerged Link was deafening. I think each of us held the silent hope that as the Hero, he would break the logic of science and religion and rise from this place immediately, full of honor and hope. We all held our breaths for nothing.

A somber Purah looked into the tub. “It appears his wounds are beginning to heal.”

The Princess nodded, but never took her eyes off of Link, as if he might leap up and run away… Or worse.

“He will lose all of his memories.” She said quietly, a finger outstretched to ghost over Link’s cheekbone.

I gasped and looked to Robbie for confirmation, who nodded sagely.

“It will be a side-effect of the healing properties developed by the ancients.”

I wanted to protest, to suggest another way. Not even from the standpoint of a romantic, well, not entirely. Not only was Link mortally wounded and being burrowed in a healing shrine for the better part of a century, while Ganon did what he pleased to our once great land, but he wouldn’t even have his wits about him when he returned!

I opened my mouth as if to say something, but the words faded when I realized I was under the Princess’ gaze.

“He will know to come for me. I believe that.”

It was impossible to dispute with such resolution. Still, she looked stricken when she returned her gaze to Link. She might have been confident in his heroics, but there was another aspect that she was wounded that he would forget.

What a terrible fate. It would be one thing to never hold Princess Zelda ever (I speak of my current existence), but to have held her on countless occasions even in the most intimate and sacred way possible… And never remember it? Wretched.

I felt for my Princess more than anything, of course.

“Maybe not.” Purah’s voice was dangerously close to sounding excited and she snapped her fingers. “The slate! Robbie, hand me the slate.”

Confused, Robbie tossed Purah the slate and she immediately got to work. It felt very inappropriate, given the circumstances, but she didn’t let propriety deter her. She never did. I saw her research journal, after all.

“Purah…?” Princess Zelda finally spoke.

“The pictures in the slate will lead him to memories of the two of you. You’ve documented so many of your journeys together. If enough are collected and tracked, that should be enough to trigger something within his frontal lobe-”

“-And he’ll remember me?” She stumbled a bit before correcting herself. “-Everything? He’ll remember his life?”

“He should. If we leave the right clues and well, if he _wants_ to remember. Leave it to me, Princess.” She smiled wryly.

Who wouldn’t want to remember somebody as ethereal as Princess Zelda? Who wouldn’t want to remember loving her? Who wouldn’t want to know they were loved by her?

“I would trust you with my life, Purah.” Then, the Princess considered herself. “As it were, it seems that’s exactly what I’m doing.”

The tiny spark of hope was contagious and just the lifeline we all needed. It still did not answer or explain what we were supposed to do in the meantime. Hyrule would be long gone and dead before this day happened if the Calamity progressed as it was.

“When he awakes, we will guide him. Whether it be us or our ancestors.” Purah promised firmly. “He will not be alone.”

That struck something within Princess Zelda, as if that was exactly the fear she’d been battling with. Her dedication to her nation was strong and radiated through her, but as did the fear from the mortal soul. The wild was a dangerous place without raging monsters or poisoned technology. Above all else, it would get lonely.

“No, no he will not.” She considered all three of us. “Thanks to you and the persistence of Hyrule, he will never be alone.”

“And what of you, Princess?” Robbie finally asked the question that had been burning at my stomach. I had a feeling. I think we all did, but it needed to be said what she was going to try and do.

“All hope is not lost.” Her eyes flickered to the Master Sword. “It seems I still have a major role to play in all of this. I will do what I must.”

She clenched her hand that once poured streams of gold light and power.

“But… You’ll…” I wanted to say ‘die’ or ‘perish’, but thought better of it. Who was I to doubt my Princess? My Goddess? My love?

She got up from her position beside Link and approached me, a soft smile on her tired and dirty face. She looked beautiful.

“I’ll be what I need to be. What needs to happen. I will not let Ganon take this land with the ease at which he expected to.”

I tried to smile, truly, I did, but the forlorn thought of never getting to look upon her fair face was a goodbye I would never be ready for. Instead, I reached out and squeezed her hands in mine. I hoped she garnered whatever she needed from the contact, because my brain was numb when she stood on her toes and kissed my cheek.

“You’ve always been a good friend to me, Lawrence, and I always appreciated your beautiful music. Link quite enjoyed- _enjoys_ \- it too.”

The mention of his name so soon after a kiss would have normally left me stained with grief and pity, but instead, I finally managed to smile at the thought of the knight, who I dubbed an imbecile, enjoying _my_ music.

Then, an idea struck.

“I’ll play for him.”

She furrowed her brow. “Like a lullaby?”

“No, I’ll leave him the music of old and of now. If it is not at my hand, it’ll be at a trusted protégé’s careful grace. It could help to… You know, jog his memory,”

She beamed and was all Goddess until flickers of her scholar-self peaked through. “I’m sure an application of as many of the 5 senses could be most useful in bringing back his memory. If I had enough time, I’d suggest leaving him a cookbook of all of the tasty treats he could make.”

She looked like she would have liked to go on further, but time was waning thin and she knew it. Instead, she squeezed my hands again and smiled ruefully.

“I wish I could offer you more than a molecule of hope, dear Lawrence. You and the many constituents that stood by me deserve far more than what I can give. I do promise to give all of me if that’s what it takes.”

“I don’t doubt you.” I said.

She nodded and turned to Robbie and Purah, who were staring at the Princess in equal parts sadness and resolve.

She hugged and kissed Robbie first and murmured an earnest apology for the loss of Cherry. He hugged her a little tighter after that.

“My dear girl, just don’t make it so her loss was in vain.”

“Never.” She promised.

She didn’t even have the opportunity to regard Purah, because the scientist was already thrown into her arms just as she disentangled from Robbie. Tears didn’t flow, but she squeezed the wits out of her.

“I’ll miss you so much.”

“We’ll see each other again, my friend.” Princess Zelda said. “I believe that. And _please_ tell Impa that… Please just tell her I’m sorry and that I love her and that I wish her a lifetime of happiness.”

Purah placed a stray hair behind the Princess’ ear. “I’ll be sure to relay the message.”

“And don’t go bending the laws of time and space while I’m gone.” She joked weakly. “Or at least refrain from selling it to the highest bidder when you do.”

She chuckled. “I’ll resist the urge.”

The Princess bent down to pick up the Master Sword off of the floor. “Please ensure he’s safe.”

We all nodded and with one last glance towards the chamber where her beloved knight lay, Princess Zelda disappeared into the opening of the shrine with the Master Sword on her back.

“We can’t just let her go alone, can we?” I asked.

Purah extended a hand to stop me from any sudden movements that I hadn’t made. “She isn’t alone.”

She never would be.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "And love is not a victory march... It's a cold and it's a broken Hallelujah."


	19. The Great Deku Tree

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Great Deku Tree has seen many Zelda's and many Link's pass through his woods, but is still surprised at how different each can be.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Associated with Memory #18: The Master Sword
> 
> Mood-setting song: "You Will Be Found" by Dear Evan Hansen 
> 
> "Even when the dark comes crashing through, when you need a friend to carry you... And when you're broken on the ground,  
> you will be found."

Many a Hero and many a Princess have come through my woods over the eons that I've resided here and none have ever been the same as the previous. They've shared similar traits. After existing for as long as this earth has been green and the skies have been blue, you begin to see the same souls in different eyes. All of the Heroes have been brave and all of the Princesses have been wise. Both were always immensely loyal to their cause of protecting Hyrule. 

And each other.

They were always fighters. The Hero has always been quicker to displaying this in his actions whereas the Princess has always been more brazen with her words and emotions. There was always a time and a place for their strengths. Both were always so entrenched with loss whether it be before or after it was their turn to take on the great burden of heroism. The world was always watching. They were always set up to lose. Sometimes they did lose before they won. The consequences they faced in either victory or failure were too much for children that didn't ask for it. 

But they were always... _Always..._ Too young to die. 

This Zelda was no different as she rode horseback through my woods, being guided by my loyal Korok seeds. Hestu jovially expressed to me that she was coming before she even broke through the clearing that would lead her to my presence. He had been looking after both the Hero and the Princess as of late. He did not seem eager to share the details, though. 

The girl has been gifted with Hylia's blood like her ancestors before her and she no longer wears it like a heavy burden. Instead, it gives her focus and power through her veins. It is good to see her join the ranks of her lineage. Her hair is golden like most of the Zelda's and her green eyes match the treetops of the forest, and there is a strength in them that cannot be taught. She is worthy of her gift and ready to bear her curse.

But this girl... She is not like those that arrive before her. I've seen soft eyes of the sky and icy stares of a queen. I've experienced the wit of a pirate and the desperate song of a young maiden. 

She has dirt on her prayer dress and soot under her nails. Her eyes are tinged with a redness that promises she's been shedding tears of anger and anguish- from the loss of Link no doubt. Her knuckles are white around the hilt of the master sword, which blinks in response to her as it should to the Hero of Hyrule and something dawns on me that has never occurred before. The Princesses have been dirty before and they've certainly cried over the loss of their beloved Heroes before. She's held the Master Sword and has even approached me with it, but never...  _Never_... Has it responded to her. 

Centuries ago, there was this concept of the Tri-Force being obtainable. It was always a tangible thing. Ganon would always have the first piece, which encapsulated the power he always sought. Link would embody the courageous portion with his determination and skill. Zelda would always hold wisdom. Over a winding series of repeating and newborn events, that power spiraled and twisted until colliding into one spiritual concept of power. And somehow, it all went to the Princess and her Goddess blood. I would argue it was well-deserved. This enraged the spirit of Ganon, as it meant that so long as the Princess lived, there would always be someone more powerful than he on this earth.

And yes, many Princess have had this triangle on their hands. They've shimmered and glowed in the sunlight as this Zelda does before me. But this is the first time this power has ever had to be placed to true test. 

The girl hops off her horse and walks towards me without acknowledging me. I cannot be offended. She has much on her mind.

Her determination is evident. She's putting the sword back, but not because she's hoping a new Hero will spawn. While her loyalty to her kingdom is evident, if not a great cause of her own suffering, her love for her knight has expanded a great deal. She believes he can return... Even if... Even if she cannot. 

She would die for Hyrule, but she would die for Link too.

When she closes her eyes to lower the sword yet again, I can see her mind's eye. I see all the people that have told this child 'no'. I see how often she thinks of her shortcomings and how little she acknowledges her success. I see the heart of a lover and the valiance of a fighter. I see that she has not given up on the Hyrule that ultimately failed her. 

She prays to me and I accept. I have no bearings on fate and time, but I want her to win just as I've wanted the other Princesses to win. I am meant to be a neutral presence, but have always sided with the dealings of the heroes. It is very hard not to see that they deserve every victory they get. They deserve to fade into existence and the joys of a mundane life. That is all this Princess ever wanted. She wants to be a scholar. She wants to live somewhere in the country with her knight. Children are a possibility but not definitive need for her. She wants to see the world.

I pray to her Goddess that she sees every inch.

I cannot see... I cannot see what her plan is. Her desires are very clear as they've always been, but there is something definite in her tone that says her confidence in her Hero does not necessarily stretch to her own fate. And why? He has passed and she has not.

Unless...

"If I may be so bold..." I hear myself say. "What is it that you're planning to do next, Princess?"

She looks up slowly in shock as if she is not in my forest. It is charming, but her surprise subdues into something distant as she gazes down to the Master Sword. Perhaps she senses her own potential destiny? I fight the urge to fill in the blanks- that for the first time, the Hero and the Princess can be condensed into one person. 

And then her thoughts become clear to me.

"It seems that my role is unfinished." She punctuates with a clenched fist. "There is still something I must do."

"I sense great strength in your dedication."

She clasps both of her hands and returns to a slightly nervous state, but it is not regarding the destiny she has bravely chosen for herself. She shifts feet and looks up at me with pleading eyes that remind me that she is a human girl and not simply a Godly incarnate. 

"Great Deku Tree, I ask of you, when he returns... Can you please relay this message? Tell him I l-"

"-Now then," I interrupt, because I can tell that this revelation is considerably new. I may be a tree, but I know that such important sentiments are meant to be exchanged in the certainties of quietness, with sincerity and one's whole heart. It loses its power if it comes from another. 

Besides, she needs to hold onto that hope of a new tomorrow if she is to complete this task she's laid for herself. "Words intended for him would sound much better in the tones of your voice, don't you think?"

She nods her head in understanding of what I'm getting at and smiles. "Yes."

She lowers the sword into the ground with eyes closed tight. As she does, I see the love that fills her heart. I see her mother gently brushing her hair as a child. I see her dancing with her father- standing on his toes and laughing to the beat of the song. I see her belly-laughing with Urbosa and blushing at an innuendo that made her turn redder than a hearty radish. I see her tinkering with machinery with Robbie or undergoing a niche study with Purah. And most of all, I see her laying in a field beside her knight, the golden sun warming their souls. She's smiling so bright her eyes crinkle and he kisses the back of her hand. Something is said about a frog that I do not understand, but everything is bright. 

With a heavy breath she releases the light of the sword and looks back up at me. For the first time in so long, I'm unsure what to say. 

So, I give her a nod and say, "Cling to those moments, Princess. Ganon knows no love. Only hatred. For as long as you have that, he cannot win. Not really."

"Yeah," She agreed. "I know that now."

And with that, she turned on her heels and left the same way she entered, not looking back once. Though the sword did blink several times. Though she would not wield it this time, I wonder... If there is a reason the sword looks fitting in her hand. 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "So let the sun come streaming in 'cause you'll reach up and you'll rise again. Lift your head and look around... You will be found."


	20. Epilogue: Kass

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 100 years later, Kass, who was not far from Central Hyrule to begin with, flew as fast as he could to the castle area when he heard of commotion on a divine level. What he finds is song-inspiring.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Associated Memory: Ending Scene
> 
> Song: "Go the Distance" by Michael Bolton
> 
> "Like a shooting star, I will go the distance. I will search the world, I will face its harms."

All my adult-life, I’ve been trying to do justice to the sage intricacy of my mentor’s teachings. He found me at the ripe age of 5 after my family had been bombarded and destroyed by a heard of Blue Moblin. He found me nestled in the burrow of a tree, shivering, and took me in as his own. He showed me how to be a romantic in all meanings of the word. I infused my feelings in song. It was how I coped, how I communicated, how I lived and loved.

I proposed to my lovely wife through song. I joke and say it’s why she said yes in the first place. She understands my need to honor him, my mentor that is, for he gave me the life I have right now. He gave me hope and ability to love as he had.

He told me many a time about Princess Zelda and his undying love for her. He described her beauty as angelic, but without the disbelief that comes when mortal lays eyes on an angel.

_“She was the most lovely woman to ever grace the land.” He winked at me, his wrinkly face crinkling more from a smile. “Well, to you that would probably go to Amali, right?”_

_I nodded hastily. There was no other for me. Princess, Goddess, Angel… It did not matter when I already had the greatest woman._

_“Good.” He pointed at me. “Unrequited love is a beautiful sacrifice to make in the name of art and craft, but pain is not everything. Some of the most beautiful lines derive from what we already have.”_

_“I’m sorry you did not have her, sir.” I said, because I could not imagine the hurt that would settle over me if my Amali loved another._

_He stared off into the sunset, a glint in his mysterious ruby-colored eyes. “I’m not.”_

_“And why’s that?”_

_“Because in the end, he was the better man. A true lover must always yield to what is best for his beloved, even if it does not make he, himself, happy.”_

At the time, I did not see that possible. How could anyone be better than my mentor? Lawrence of the Sheikah was an honorable man and an astute poet that lived by the laws of love. Women were wooed wherever we went, because he had this unattainable charisma that could not be emulated. It was impossible to believe that there was one not perfect for him.

By the time I’d met my mentor, he found his peace already in regards to having lost his love not only to another, but to the malice within the castle.

_“At least I was fortunate to love at all, dear Kass.” He told me one night._

But I carried that torch for him, in a sense. I, of course, respected the Princess’ right to be attracted to whoever she wished and was in no position to make such declarations in her name, but I needed to see who could capture her affections over a romantic oligarch.  

However, when I met him, the hero that is, I saw it. Not that he was necessarily better than my mentor, no, but different. I introduced myself as a wanderer scoping the lands for inspiration. That part was semi-true. I was a wanderer, but I had a purpose. Every day since my mentor’s death, I stayed true to my devotion of finishing this story. I would not die without witnessing the Calamity’s end and bearing witness to the result of his sacrifices.

He was quiet, but not unfeeling. His eyes were ever-sympathetic and calculating. He was an excellent listener and would do anything for anyone if they needed help. His focus was evident on the task at hand and skill weaving that sword was beyond any I’d ever seen. He was kind and had soft features for someone that was meant to be the most formidable foe of darkness.

My mentor, though I loved him so, was an eccentric, who doused his ladies with lavish sonnets depicting why they were the most beautiful being to ever walk this green earth. He was loud and proud about who he was and knew love and romance from the inside out. He was very wise with age, but I predict not so much back in earlier days.

This boy, though, was a strong and quiet force. His wit was there, but only when you got to know him. He was a mystery, but a steady presence. He was open and true and radiated bravery. I never met the Princess before, but if she was more fond of the quiet, caring, brooding type… He was right before me.

Of course, the more I got to know Link, the more I liked him. It took me a while to reconcile how much I liked him, even if my mentor never bore any negative words regarding him. He dove in front of the Princess to spare her life; he died for her. How could he hate him?

Until then, yes, he most certainly did despise him, but as Link recovered his memories and became more and more pieced together along the way, he did not seem to recall any harbored negativity for my mentor.

_“I liked his songs.” He said simply before taking into an apple. “He cared a great deal for Zelda, it seems.”_

At the time, he was not ready to know just how my teacher truly felt for the Princess. It did not seem Link even knew yet then if his feelings were true or if they were the source of her being the only thing he remembered.

_“Sometimes, I feel like she isn’t anything more than just a voice in my head.” He said softly one evening. He’d yet to even acquire the master sword that evening, but developed some memories of Zelda. “Then, something powerful overtakes me and boom, I remember more. And I think…”_

_“Matters of the heart are always real in a sense, Link.” I said wisely._

_He gave me an unimpressed look and I wonder if this was why he and my mentor did not see eye-to-eye. “Zelda is real. She has to be. Otherwise, everything would be gone. That is the way I need to see it.”_

But would she come out of it a real person or not? I dared not to say or even propose such an idea. The Hero needed all the hope he could get and if obtaining memories of his once-beloved was what acted as his catalyst, then so be it. It was interesting, being around when he garnered memories.

One time, his face turned the color of a tomato after he uncovered one and his pupils were blown wide. He stared at his slate for a very long time, before forcing himself out of what seemed like a _very_ potent memory.

_Last he was in Rito, when I played him the full song and opened up to him about the history of my mentor, he had this pensive look on his face while he gazed towards the castle._

_“I’m going to get her, Kass. Tomorrow.”_

_I blanched. I was not ready to lose another friend. “Are you ready?”_

_He looked up at me with ice in his eyes and a steadfast determination that told me this man would not only die for the Princess again, but he has been living for her this entire time. I so badly wanted to write a song of it, but I needed to wait for the conclusion._

_“I will not go another day without her.”_

It was a tricky situation though, because I knew this day very well could have been the end of the world if Link and the Princess were to fail. However, when the sun rose and my children were sitting on the railing chirping away in time with one another while my wife made cooked cinnamon apples for breakfast, I knew it couldn’t be. A day this beautiful and ambient could yield nothing but wonder and rebirth.

So, I left. I went to the closest I could get to Hyrule Castle without being afflicted by the bleeding malice that was still quite potent. I arrived by midmorning thanks to the winds being magnificent. I practically glided here. Oh, the day would certainly end in hope. I was certain of.

Taking an actual look at the castle was a whole other breed.

I admit, my hope dwindled only a fraction. Link was not a large man and had no army as he would have years before. He mentioned that Vah Medoh as well as the other Divine Beasts would aid him in the final battle, but I do not see how that is possible. Their champions are dead, are they not? There are plenty of songs for them that I am trying to piece together to create something more substantial. My mentor wrote of all of them frequently.

Of how Mipha and he both shared an unrequited love for opposite ends of the Hero and Princess pairing, how she deserved better for her kindness and her tender touch.

How Daruk appeared as an empty rock, but whose heart was as large as his mighty muscles and the way he took anyone under his wing.

How Urbosa was powerful and fierce, but had such a soft spot for the Princess and would comfort her whenever she needed it.

How Revali was a bastard, but a talented bastard.

What? My mentor was _not_ always keen on romanticizing the past. He liked Revali a great big deal and how he challenged the Hero to meeting his full potential, but knew what the Rito Champion was capable of.

Somehow, everything my mentor ever told me about them radiates in this field right now. I should fear for my life as monsters are still scrambling all over, as well as the Guardians. In all fairness, there’s a good amount of fully destroyed carcasses lying about; no doubt from Link’s efforts. He had quite an array of special armor that he showed me with a smirk on his face.

It seemed nothing between us had changed when I told him the truth about who I really was. He did not flinch or hold ill-will towards me. He accepted me and seemed even more gracious of me once discovering who I was related to. It was probably quite jarring, journeying over a land you used to know so well, and turning the corners to not see the friends you have, but their ancestors.

 _“The best story you can tell, is through what you pass on to your children.”_ _My mentor once said._

Truer words had never be spoken, but we are interpreted differently from those we’ve cultivated and raised than someone who knew us at another time. Link knows a different side of my mentor that I never will and likewise. I can preserve as much of him as I can, but it still would not be the same as Link talking to Lawrence, who he knew from around the castle.

_“I made the mistake of spying on he and Zelda.” He rolled his eyes. “I wanted to make sure they weren’t up to anything suspicious.”_

_“Were they?”_

_“For a long time, no. I thought I was in the clear. That was foolish of me, of course, because with the most worthy love’s-”_

_“-Are always loved by another, yes. I know that one.”_

_He smiled. “They were very close and I hated that. I wanted to be him so badly. I watched from afar every now and then, acting like I was protecting her or something like that.”_

_“Did he ever catch you?”_

_“No, I’m a Sheikah after all… And I was rarely ever present. I used the slate a lot like a peeping Tom.”_

_“Oh, teacher you didn’t.”_

_“I did, boy, because all true lovers start as fools. I learned my lesson though, because one day, I saw them behind a tree in Hyrule field; her head in his lap and him, very very happy about it.”_

_“That must have been a terrible blow for you, though.”_

_“Not for him.” He squawked and laughed for a long while. I was considerably young at the time and did not really understand any of this. All I could derive was that the Princess was doing something out of turn with her Knight in the field._

_He raised a withered hand. “Do not think poorly of him as I did. He took an oath of purity, but it was entirely consensual. I was the lout that couldn’t see her obvious feelings for him. Do not ever assume that just because you give your love to someone or something, that it means you deserve them.”_

That stuck with me forever. Not the tale of Link and Zelda’s indiscretions in the wild, but my mentor’s hard lesson. Evidently, we all need to go through those. Mine has been a tale of letting go and moving on with my own story. I can pay tribute to him and the Champions and the former royal family, but I cannot surround my entire life with it.

I was about to leave the field, honestly, because if Link succeeded I had faith that he would come back to the Rito Village, hopefully with Princess Zelda by his side. I wanted to spend these moments with my family if it all ended.

But, something amazing happened just as I was about to take my leave. Link’s sword collided with a spool of ever-growing light and it blinded the entirety of the malice and the demon that floated at the center of the field. I could hear the sounds of the horses, neighing excitedly before slowing to a halt.

The Calamity, so dark and full of poison, was destroyed by the purest expanse of angelic levity I’d ever seen. I swear to all the deities in the sky and around me that I saw the union of the Goddess and her Hero, meeting again to join in this battle for the universe. They won out, yet again, a blood-curdling scream erupting from the demon, but I felt no sympathy for him. I watched with trepidation as dust faded all around me and the rest of Hyrule. There was no evil, no sign of malice or the Guardian’s under siege. I saw no distant monsters, though I doubt they were gone for good.

They were never exactly here because of Ganon, but frequented more because of his uprising. That’s what my mentor always told me anyway.

Me, the man equipped with the weapon of art of song, could not think of a single word to describe the sight of seeing the holy Princess Zelda, still as youthful and beautiful, if not a little disheveled and covered in soot, real as day. Link, who stood covered in blood, dirt, and a withered Champion’s tunic, seemed equally as shocked a mere few yards away.

The moment of silence that filled the air was deafening. It felt like a thousand spirits were finally put to rest. In the center of it, two relics of their own time, encased in the holy protection of the Goddess, were finally free.

I could not hear them, but I could hear the tones of their voices. The Princess was certainly a beauty and I see what my mentor and Link saw in her, but she was very much a real girl here and now. Her eyes were bright and her hands were clasped in hope. Oh, she probably feared so much so that things would be different between she and Link. They are all they have for each other from their past. They are each other’s anchors.

She asked him something and it left a long and still pause. It was almost impossible not to focus on the dwindling darkness from the land as she spoke, like she willed it away. I could not explain what I saw through spoken word, but I knew the finale would inspire a song from me eventually. I’d never known a day when Calamity Ganon wasn’t wreaking havoc. I’d never known a time where my children could go playing in the wild or field trips to the castle seemed possible. I’ve never seen that side of Hyrule. I’ve seen the gorgeous expanse of the lands and how its people prevailed and survived in spite of hardship, but I’ve never seen the true side of victory. It was a sight to behold.

Link answered and I could see him nodding and smiling through the dirt on his face. The Princess did not hesitate before dashing towards him at full speed. Why should she? It’s been 100 years. His own strength is shown when he caught her in a tight embrace that knocked the wind from him.

He stumbled backwards, exhausted after his own fight, but landed on his back and looked up at her like he was ready to worship her for the rest of his days. She bent down, a waterfall of blonde falling to the side and tickling his face, before kissing him eagerly. He raised a hand to caress her cheek so delicately that it was hard to believe that a mere minute ago, he just used those hands to destroy evil.

She pulled back to look at him with bright green eyes and there’s a moment where I could tell time stopped for them and everything felt too good to be true. They’re teenagers, at the core and this was a plot executed for an entire land. They’re teenagers whose lives were thus far entrenched in war, only finding reprieve in each other and only for stolen moments. Now, those moments were not stolen, but earned.

They kissed again; only this time it was much more difficult with how bright and toothy their smiles were, but they made it work.

She pressed her forehead to his and while I could not hear her, I could read those three words being spoken from miles away. It was how I’ve been trained. I could feel them in the air. He said it back immediately and they embraced on the ground, tight and probably very uncomfortable, but that sensation in the wind was all encompassing and nothing else compared. 

Softly, I played the song that my teacher wrote, a smile on my face. I would write a song of this day too and finally meet the Princess of Hyrule. I swear the air was lined with golden tendrils of magic and the sky was a gift of the heavens. The Princess would take her place as an earthly woman and determine her life from here on out. The Hero would get to father the little Goddess-incarnates to come. Life was not only good again, but for the Princess and Hero of Hyrule, it got to be lived.    

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "I don't care how far, I can go the distance. 'Till I find my hero's welcome waiting in your arms."
> 
> Thank you guys SO SO SO much for all the support for this story. Sorry the last two chapters took a while to put out, but it was truly a pleasure writing all of this. I'm glad I could give a little more expansion on the game and hopefully the series overall.


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